Seeking the Sparrow
by FlightoftheStorm777
Summary: Sequel to Lost in the Storm! Tensions are running high when Ginny Stormmare, Elizabeth Swann, Will Turner, Barbossa and the rest of the Black Pearl's crew travel to World's End to rescue Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones's Locker. Ginny and Jack must fight their demons, even if that means forgiving each other... And themselves. AWE with an additional character Jack x OC R
1. Chapter 1

**_Seeking the Sparrow _**

**I'm back! Not sure if that's good or bad, but oh well. This is AWE with the addition of my character, Ginny Stormmare! I hope you guys enjoy it, be sure to review! That's what keeps me going! **

**_Chapter One _**

Ginny pushed the little boat forward, singing the song of the pirates. It was eerily quiet in Singapore. She reached the dock, where she tethered her boat. "Yo ho, all together, hoist the colors high… Heave ho, thief-," She stopped short when someone interrupted her.

"Thief! And beggar! Never say we die…" said an Asian man, approaching her. "A dangerous song to be singing. Particularly for a woman. Particularly for a woman alone."

"What makes you think she's alone?" said Barbossa, descending some stairs. Ginny placed a ready hand on the hilt of her dagger.

"You protect her?" demanded the Singaporean.

Ginny unsheathed her dagger and placed it on the man's throat. "What makes you think I am protected?" she hissed in his ear as his acquaintances trained their pistols on her.

"Yer master's expectin' us, and an unexpected death would put a damper on our visit." said Barbossa, giving Ginny a glare. She let go of the man, raising her eyebrows innocently at Barbossa. Elizabeth squeezed from behind Barbossa and stood by Ginny.

They followed the Singaporeans to a bath house. "Have you heard anything from Will?" asked Elizabeth.

"I trust young Master Turner to acquire the charts, just as I trust you both to remember your places in front of Cap'n Sao Feng." said Barbossa.

"Is he that terrifying?" droned Ginny. She wasn't afraid of him.

"He's much like meself, absent me merciful nature and sense of fair play." replied Barbossa with a grin.

Ginny managed to crack a small smile at Barbossa's joke. They reached a round door, which the Singaporean Ginny had threatened earlier knocked on. A small opening appeared, revealing two exotic eyes. The Singaporean from earlier said one word, and the panel slid shut. The door opened, and they entered slowly. A man stood between them and the entrance to the rest of the bath house. "Remove, please." he said.

Barbossa handed over his weapons. Ginny and Elizabeth tried to step forward, but the man held up a hand, stopping them. "You think that because they are women that we would not suspect them of treachery?" said the man, glaring at Barbossa.

"Well, if you put it _that_ way…" drawled Barbossa, shifting his gaze to Ginny and Elizabeth. Ginny glanced at her sister. They shrugged in unison and began stripping themselves of weapons. It took a while, and when they had finished, the table was piled high with weapons. Ginny and Elizabeth attempted to move past again, but the man stopped them once more.

"Remove," he said. "Please." he added with a nasty grin. Ginny and Elizabeth looked down at themselves. Had they forgotten a weapon? Ginny clenched her jaw, suddenly realizing what the man meant. She glanced at Elizabeth, and judging her expression, she had figured it out, too. They changed out of their clothes, and stood in nothing but their undergarments. They were given robes to cover themselves. Ginny quickly put hers on, Elizabeth doing the same. All the while, the men gawked at them and guffawed with each other stupidly. Ginny pushed past the guard roughly.

"Sick bastard!" she muttered angrily. Elizabeth appeared to be very uncomfortable. She whipped her head around, looking at the men in steaming bathtubs with apprehension. Ginny, however, proceeded calmly. She was already covered in a sheen of sweat due to the heat of the room. Standing on a platform at the end of the room, his arms outspread, his bald head gleaming in the dim lighting, was a man with his back to them.

"Cap'n Sao Feng," said Barbossa, bowing. He motioned wildly for Elizabeth and Ginny to do the same. Ginny did so jerkily. Sao Feng turned, his eyes falling on Ginny and her companions.

"Captain Barbossa. Welcome to Singapore," Sao Feng greeted them. His eyes held none of the warmth in the room. They were black and cold, staring at them with a calculating gleam. They reminded Ginny of dark tunnels and spiders. Sao Feng had many scars on his face. His fingernails looked like claws. His mustache was extremely long, hanging down to tickle his bellybutton. Ginny stared at Sao Feng without expression. Sao Feng sniffed a scarf around his hand. "More steam." he muttered to one of the twin concubines. She nodded curtly and pulled a rope. Within seconds, steam fanned throughout the room, making the humidity denser. "I hear you have a request to make of me?" said Sao Feng, turning his soulless eyes onto Barbossa.

"More of a… Proposal to put to ye," said Barbossa. "I have a venture underway and I find myself in need of a ship and a crew."

Sao Feng scratched his head. "Hm," he said thoughtfully. Ginny sensed danger already. She glanced at Barbossa. She could tell he sensed it, too. "It's an odd coincidence." continued Sao Feng.

"Because you happen to have a ship and a crew you don't need?" said Elizabeth suddenly. Ginny and Barbossa shot her warning looks.

Sao Feng didn't seem to mind. "No," he continued in his silky voice. "Because earlier today, not far from here, a thief broke into my most revered uncle's temple, and tried to make off with _these_," Sao Feng was handed a rolled up scroll. "The Navigational Charts. The route to the furthest gate. It would be an odd coincidence if this venture of yours took you to the world beyond this one."

"It would strain credulity at that." agreed Barbossa.

Sao Feng jerked his head to someone on the other side of the room. A loud splash caught Ginny's attention. She looked to see Will being hauled out of a bathtub, gasping for breath. Elizabeth tensed beside Ginny. "This is the thief," said Sao Feng, approaching Will. "Is his face… Familiar to you?" They shook their heads. Sao Feng withdrew a large spike from his cloak. "Then I guess… I have no further need for him." Sao Feng made to stab Will.

"No, no!" cried Elizabeth. Ginny looked at her. She was covering her mouth, looking horrified.

"So… You seek my help… And you betrayed my hospitality." said Sao Feng, his voice dangerously soft. He put his spike away and began walking toward his platform.

"Sao Feng, I assure you, I had no idea…" said Barbossa.

"That he would get caught?" shouted Sao Feng, his face inches from Barbossa's. There was a rustle of movement as those loyal to Sao Feng prepared to defend their master. Ginny tensed, her eyes flicking from Sao Feng's men to Sao Feng himself. "You intend to attempt a voyage to Davy Jones's Locker, but I cannot help but wonder…" Sao Feng had taken his place on his platform again. He spun around to face them once more. "Why?"

Barbossa said nothing. He tossed Sao Feng a silver coin. Sao Feng caught it. He blew on it and held it to his ear. It must've made sense to Sao Feng, because his face crumpled with a mixture of anger, disgust and understanding. "The song has been sung," said Barbossa. "The time is upon us. We must convene the Brethren Court. As one of the nine Pirate Lords, you must honor the call."

Sao Feng screwed his face up as if he were in agony. His hand clenched the coin. More steam," he muttered. His concubine girl pulled the rope. Nothing happened. "More steam!" Sao Feng bellowed. The girl pulled the rope again. This time, steam billowed around the room, calming Sao Feng. "The court hasn't met in my lifetime." said Sao Feng.

"Nor mine," said Barbossa.

"But when it last did, my father told me it ended… Badly." said Sao Feng. He seemed to be growing more and more irritable as the conversation wore on.

"Aye, but the time before that, it produced the Code, which has served us well. And the very first time it gave us rule of the sea herself. And now that rule is being changed." said Barbossa. Sao Feng considered this.

He frowned, understanding. "The East India Trading Company."

"Lord Beckett is a pox on us all." said Barbossa. Ginny couldn't help the twitch of her lips. Beckett was making himself really unpopular with the pirates. Good. If she could get them to fight him, then Beckett would meet his end. She would make that happen.

"There is a price on all our heads, it is true. It seems the only way a pirate can turn profit anymore is by betraying other pirates." Sao Feng shot a glare at Will. "Against the armada, what is the Brethren Court? What can we do?" Sao Feng questioned.

Ginny'd had enough. "You can fight!" she yelled, stepping forward. She needed them to fight. Beckett needed to die. Someone grabbed her, but Ginny shook herself free. "Get off me!" she snapped. She turned back to Sao Feng, unable to stop her anger from pouring out. "You are Sao Feng the Pirate Lord of Singapore. You command in the age of piracy where bold captains sail free waters, where waves are nit measured in feet but in increments of fear and those who past the test become legend. Will you have that era come to an end on your watch? The most notorious pirates are gathering to unite against _our_ enemy, and yet you sit here, cowering in your bathwater!" Ginny said through gritted teeth.

Sao Feng stared at Ginny, his expression unreadable. He took a few steps toward her. Ginny stepped back to give him room. Sao Feng began to circle Ginny. "Ginny Swann… There is more to you than meets the eye. And eye does not go wanting," he said, murmuring in her ear. Ginny stared at him coolly as he walked away. "I cannot help but notice… _You_" –Sao Feng pointed at Barbossa's face –"have failed to answer my question. What is it you seek in Davy Jones's Locker?"

"Jack Sparrow." said Will. The two concubines giggled. Ginny had the strongest urge to punch them both in the face. "He's one of the Pirate Lords."

Sao Feng made a disgusted, furious face. He attempted to run his fingers through his hair, but he had none. "The only reason… I would want Jack Sparrow returned from the Land of the Dead… Is so I could send him backMYSELF!" Sao Feng kicked a chair. Ginny couldn't stop her flinch. Barbossa crossed the room over to Sao Feng. Ginny was too angry to listen. She wanted to punch Sao Feng. She wasn't normally this violent, but Sao Feng and his concubines really grated on her nerves. Especially since Jack wasn't there. He wasn't there to calm her down. And it was her fault.

"So… You admit… You have deceived me," hissed Sao Feng. "Weapons!" Sao Feng's followers all drew their weapons. Ginny's head snapped up in alarm. Barbossa joined Ginny's side, his hands outstretched.

"Sao Feng, I assure you, our intentions are strictly honorable." he said. With that, swords soared up through the cracks in the floorboards. Ginny, Elizabeth and Barbossa caught them. Ginny was relieved the crew below had been listening.

Sao Feng looked alarmed. Which, Ginny thought, was stupid of him, seeing as he had a roomful of people on his side and it was just Elizabeth, Barbossa and herself. But, Sao Feng seemed to have put all logic out of his head. He grabbed a man. "Drop your weapons! Or I kill the man!"

Ginny, Elizabeth and Barbossa glanced at each other in confusion. "Kill him, he's not our man." said Barbossa casually. Sao Feng looked at the man in outrage and befuddlement.

"If he's not with you… And he's not with us… Who is he with?" said Will, voicing the very thought Ginny had just had.

There was a loud commotion that sounded remarkably like a cannon, and Redcoats poured into the bath house. Ginny found herself in the midst of the most confusing fight she'd ever taken part of. Some of the pirates united, some took off, some fought against other pirates, and all the while Redcoats poured in. Ginny found herself on the street. She sprinted toward a Redcoat. At the last moment, she dropped to her knees, sliding underneath the man, knocking him off balance. She got up quickly and knocked him unconscious. Another man approached her. He swung his sword wildly. Ginny ducked and rammed him in the stomach with her body, knocking the air out of him. Then she shoved him into the canal below. Yet another Redcoat approached her. Ginny ducked as he brought his sword downward, she punched him in the gut. Ginny found herself back-to-back with the man. He was still hunched over from her punch. Ginny rolled over his back and then kneed him in the face. Blood spurted from his nose. Ginny crossed swords with a Singaporean, who managed to pin her sword against the wall. Using her other one, she bashed his head with the hilt. He passed out right as a firework sped past, into another building full of fireworks. There was a brilliant explosion of lights and fire and colors, and the battle was over. Ginny met with the others. They boarded a ship called the _Hai_ _Peng_, which sailed smoothly out of the harbor and into the dark, open sea.

"There's no place left for Sao Feng to cower. Do you think he will honor the call?" said Elizabeth.

"I cannot say," admitted Tia Dalma. Ginny looked at the woman. "Dere is an evil on dese shore, dat even de most notorious of pirates have come to fear."


	2. Chapter 2

**_Chapter Two_**

**There's a lot of angst in this story, so beware! ******

Jack looked around. The blood rain had long since gone. It was like stepping into one of his nightmares. Screams filled the night while the rains poured. He locked himself in his cabin at night. So far, nothing else had happened. In the daylight, he would walk out onto the deck, looking at the endless sea of sand, longing for some way out. But there was no way.

Jack was sitting on the deck, his back up against the mast. He looked up at the gray sky. There wasn't even a sun here. "_Jack_." There were whispers here. They snaked around the deck, uttering his name, over and over. Jack had already grown used to them. He ignored this one, just like the others. "Jack." He frowned. This whisper was stronger than the others, more prominent. But he kept his eyes closed, hoping to take a nap. He didn't sleep much at night. "Jack!" He jerked his eyes open and looked around. There was a woman standing before him. She looked oddly familiar, but Jack was sure he didn't know her.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

The woman smiled. She wore a glowing white dress that shimmered. Her skin was translucent and pale. Her eyes were a deep blue, like the ocean on a perfect day. Her lips were pink and plump. She had platinum blonde hair that fell about her in loose waves. "I cannot tell you that. You must learn on your own." she said. Her voice was gentle and intelligent.

"Are you… My guardian angel or something?" Jack questioned. He wanted answers.

The woman shook her head. "I am but a ghost," she replied. There was soft tinge of sorrow tainting her tone.

"A ghost," Jack repeated. "Of who?"

The woman's smile faded and her eyes grew serious. "This place is meant to punish you, Jack."

"Yeah, I know. I hear the screams, it rains blood every night and there's no sea or sun. And I'm alone. Well, not anymore." said Jack.

The woman gazed at him sadly. "Your suffering is far from over."

"Gee, thanks," said Jack. "Right ray of sunshine, you are."

The woman stared at him, and for a moment, Jack thought he had offended her. "I am here to help you unlock the secrets of your mind." she said.

Jack stood, suddenly interested. "Secrets?"

The woman nodded. "These secrets will both help and hinder you."

"Well that's maddeningly unhelpful." muttered Jack.

"I am here to show you your past." said the woman.

Jack felt as if he'd been slapped. "My past?"

"Yes." replied the woman.

After all these years of struggling to remember, attempting to decipher his dreams, Jack was finally going to discover what it all meant. And suddenly, he wasn't sure he wanted to know. But he reckoned he didn't have a choice. "Er, well, do you have a name?"

The woman smiled. "You can call me Eve."

"Well, shall we?" said Jack. Eve took Jack's hand and the scenery changed. They were standing on what looked like a farm. There was a large white house to their left, and a barn to their right. It seemed to be early in the morning. Jack noticed a little girl running from the house to the barn. She had golden hair and a pale complexion. Her eyes matched Eve's. She was about five years old. She ran into the barn. Jack looked at Eve, who nodded. They followed the little girl into the barn. She was feeding the two horses in their stalls. She stopped when she heard a clatter in a closet to down the hall.

"Who's there?" she called. Silence. She walked down the stable hall, looking cautious. Jack frowned. Who was this girl? And where was he? This wasn't his past, it was this girl's!

The girl opened the closet door. She gasped and tumbled backward, falling onto her butt. A boy stepped out of the closet, peering down at her. "All right, all right, you caught me." he said. Jack had to stifle a gasp. This twelve year old boy was _him_. It had to be. The boy had jet black, shaggy hair. A red bandana was tied around his head. He wore a white linen shirt, a red scarf around his scrawny waist, brown pants and brown boots. He had a mischievous look on his face. His eyes were dark like Jack's.

Jack swung around to look at Eve. "Is that…?" He couldn't finish.

"You? Yes. This is twenty years ago." said Eve.

Jack turned back to the scene before him, shocked. "My name's Virginia. What's yours?" said the girl.

"Er, Jack." said the boy.

Jack swallowed. Blimey, this was weird. "Do you have a last name?" asked the girl.

"Do you?" countered young Jack.

The girl giggled. "Sure, I do. It's Enright."

"Teague," replied young Jack. So this was before Jack had decided to call himself Sparrow. Jack crouched down, looking at his younger self and the girl. She resembled the girl from his nightmares. So he _had_ known her once.

"Teague," repeated the girl. "That's interesting. You can call me Ginny, by the way. No one calls me by my full name."

Jack felt his stomach drop. Ginny. Ginny? It couldn't be the same one… Although Ginny Swann was a fake alias… But hadn't Tia Dalma called her Ginny Stormmare? "Okay, Ginny. I have a question for you." said young Jack.

"Yes?" asked the girl.

"Are you going to tell anyone I'm here?" said young Jack, looking his best to appear threatening.

"What are you doing here?" countered young Ginny. Young Jack looked taken aback that this little girl was standing up to him.

"Erm…" said young Jack.

"Jackie? What're ye doin' down there, lad?" called a male voice from the hayloft. Young Ginny widened her eyes. Without waiting for young Jack to respond, young Ginny climbed up the ladder to the hayloft. Young Jack groaned and followed her. Jack followed, intrigued. He widened his eyes. There was Edward Teague, his father, twenty years younger. He was gazing at young Ginny with thoughtfulness. And there, behind Teague, was Jasmyne Teague, Jack's mother. Jack climbed up and went to her side. She was ill. Sweat coated her face, and she coughed every so often. Jack looked at his mother's face. He hadn't seen her in so long… And here she was. He knew that this wasn't when she died, but she looked close to it. Jack looked at the others.

"Ginny Enright, eh?" said Teague. "Sorry to bother ye, dear. My wife, Jasmyne, is ill, ye see. We needed a place to stay…"

"I can help. We have medicine." said young Ginny.

"Nobody can know we're here!" snapped young Jack.

"Jackie," said Teague in a warning voice.

"Why not?" asked young Ginny.

"Er, we're not supposed to be here." said young Jack with a glance at his father.

"Aye," agreed Teague.

"I can't help you if I don't know." said Ginny wisely.

Jack smirked. This kid was smart, especially for her age. "We're running from the Navy." said young Jack.

"We used to be pirates, ye see. But there's still a price on our heads." said Teague. Jack raised his eyebrows. He was surprised that Teague and his younger self were trusting young Ginny so easily.

"Pirates?" Ginny didn't seem to be alarmed. "I can help you."

"You can't tell anyone about us!" barked young Jack.

Ginny stared at him. "I can keep a secret!" she said defensively. She descended the ladder. "I'll be back with food." And then she was gone.

Young Jack looked at his father. "Can we trust her?" he asked.

Teague sighed. "I don't know, son. But she's our only hope."

The scene faded, and Jack awoke to find himself lying on his bed. He panted. He sat up abruptly. "Eve?" he called. No answer. Jack swung his legs off the bed and exited his cabin. He walked out onto deck.

His heart stopped at the scene before him. There was an exact copy of himself, pacing the deck. Jack had never seen himself look so… _Mean_. "What are you doing?" said Mean Jack. Jack looked around, but Mean Jack wasn't talking to him. He was talking to…

"Ginny?" Jack whispered. This didn't look like Ginny. She was dressed in a gray gown. Her hair was tangled and a dull yellow. Her face was gaunt, and her eyes matched the color of her dress. She stared at Mean Jack with trepidation.

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry…" said Sad Ginny.

Mean Jack let out a sharp laugh. "Sorry?" he seethed. "Sorry? You're sorry for leaving me to die? You're sorry for killing me? You said you weren't!"

Sad Ginny flinched. "I am, I lied…"

"You lied? Now that's a shock… You lied to me." scoffed Mean Jack.

Jack looked at Sad Ginny. Tears were running down her cheeks. "Please, Jack, I am so sorry… Please, forgive me…" she sobbed.

"Forgive you?" sneered Mean Jack. "Forgive you?" His voice had risen to a yell. Jack wanted to tell Ginny to run, but his words had left him. Mean Jack approached Sad Ginny. For a moment, they stared at each other. And then Mean Jack slapped her. Jack felt his jaw drop. "I will never forgive you." said Mean Jack, bending down beside Sad Ginny, who'd fallen. Mean Jack unsheathed his sword.

"Jack… What are you doing?" whispered Sad Ginny.

"Getting my revenge, love." said Mean Jack. He plunged his sword into Sad Ginny's heart. Blood spilled out onto deck. Mean Jack faded away, a cruel smile contorting his features.

Jack dropped beside Sad Ginny, trying to stop the bleeding. Blood poured through his fingers. "Ginny, Ginny, look at me…" he said. Ginny stared right through him. She couldn't see him. Blood dribbled from her mouth as she coughed up blood. A shudder ran through her, and then she stared lifelessly at the sky. Jack, breathing heavily, scooped her into his arms. "Ginny… No…" he breathed. He felt tears burn his eyes. He let them fall. She faded away from his arms. Jack looked around for her, but she was gone.

When Jack woke the next morning, Eve appeared again. Without a word, Jack took her hand. They appeared at the barn. This time, Eve narrated. "Ginny was able to keep you a secret for a few weeks, but her mother found out."

They entered the barn. A woman stood with her back to them, looking at Teague and young Jack in shock while Ginny pleaded with her. "Mom, please! His mom his sick, we have to help them! Please, don't send them away… Jack is my only friend!"

Jack edged around the people to get a better look at the woman. He felt as if the floor had fallen beneath him and his knees buckled. It was Eve.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Chapter Three_**

It was cold. Uncomfortably cold. Freezing, even. Snow fell lightly. Icebergs were high above them, creating icy blockades and an eerie setting. Ginny shivered. Even below deck it was cold. She looked at the pistol in her hands. She deserved to die. She pulled the hammer back on the pistol. The soft click sounded, informing Ginny that the pistol was ready to fire. She looked at it. She deserved this. She needed to die, to pay for her sins. If she had killed Jack, then she needed to deliver the same fate to herself. She placed the barrel of the gun to her forehead.

"Ginny! What the hell are you doing?" cried Will. Somebody snatched the pistol away from her. Ginny looked up to see Will and Elizabeth.

"I…" Ginny couldn't tell them. "I can't… I can't be without him."

Will and Elizabeth looked shocked. "What?" asked Elizabeth, her tone gentle.

"I can't be without Jack." Ginny repeated. She wasn't sure if it was a lie or not.

Will and Elizabeth glanced at each other. It was the first time they'd really looked at each other in a long time. "Oh, Ginny," said Elizabeth. She hugged Ginny. The warmth was nice. Ginny had been so cold. She felt like a child again, wrapped in her mother's embrace… Pain sliced at Ginny's heart. Except she wasn't a child. And Elizabeth wasn't her mother. Her mother was dead.

"Ginny, we're on our way to free Jack now. Just… Hold on a bit longer. There's no need to… Do this." said Will. Ginny looked up at them, tears in her eyes.

"All right." she muttered. She got up to leave, ignoring the worried glances between Will and Elizabeth. _Shooting myself would be the easy way, anyway. Maybe Jack can get his revenge… That would be better. An eye for an eye…_

…

Jack looked at Eve incredulously. "You're…?" He couldn't finish.

"Yes, I am Ginny's mother, Evelyn." said Eve. Jack had to sit down.

"So… This is her? This is Ginny Swann?" he asked, motioning to the little girl picking flowers. Young Jack was watching her, looking bored.

"Yes and no." replied Eve, gazing at the young girl sadly.

"Care to explain?" Jack asked.

Eve sighed. "This is Ginny Enright, the one you knew."

"What's the difference between the one I knew and the one who sent me here?" Jack asked, a little bitterer than he'd intended.

"A load of difference," said Eve. "This Ginny is still innocent. She's a child, with hope and life bright within her. This is a more ignorant Ginny, back when ignorance was bliss. The one who sent you here has seen a lot of pain and cruelty. She has suffered greatly. She is no longer ignorant and trusting. She has surrounded herself with walls. She is knowledgeable, and some of her hope and life that once brightened her has been drained out of her."

Jack swallowed. "What happens?" he asked.

The scene sped up. Jack stood up, watching the scene around him play out quickly. He watched as Ginny taught his younger self to ride a horse. He watched his younger self teach Ginny to swim. He watched them play. He watched his younger self teach Ginny to shoot a slingshot. They climbed trees. They swam in the lake. They rode horses. They painted together. Ginny played piano for the family. The merging of the pirate family had brought fun and enjoyment to the Enright family. Jack had never seen a happier lot. Jack watched Ginny grow up. He watched himself grow up. And then the scene slowed.

Ginny was about ten, and Jack was seventeen. "But… I don't want you to go!" Ginny was saying. Jack got closer, watching them. Ginny was crying. And Jack saw that he was crying, too.

"I know, Gin. I know. But we don't have a choice." said young Jack, hugging Ginny tightly. Jack watched the tears slide down his younger self's face as they dripped into Ginny's golden hair.

"Will I ever see you again?" Ginny asked.

"Of course!" cried young Jack. He looked at Ginny, the tears in his glistening in the moonlight. "I promise you, Gin, I will come back for you in one year. Give me one year, and I will come and get you, and we can sail the seas together, as captain and first mate."

Jack turned away from the scene. he didn't want to watch anymore. "Why did this happen?" he asked.

Eve had tears in her eyes when she looked at Jack. "My husband, Thomas, felt the pressure of hiding pirates here. Although you hadn't been involved in piracy for six years. But Thomas had his own secrets… He owed Cutler Beckett some money, and in some ways, I think he was trying to protect you and your family by sending you away."

Jack swallowed the lump in his throat. "So that's it? We just left… And I forgot Ginny?" he asked, disgusted with himself.

"The story isn't over yet," said Eve. "But it is time for you to go back now."

Jack opened his eyes after blinking, and found himself on the deck of the _Pearl_. And there was Ginny. He backtracked, a little taken aback. This Ginny looked… Different. Her golden hair was stiffly set in place to one side, dropping down her right shoulder like a golden scarf. Her eyes were a deep blue, almost black. Her lips were painted crimson, and kohl curtained her eyes. She wore a red dress. It was unlike any dress Jack had ever seen before. It hugged her curves. It was made of rich velvet. It had a deep, plunging neckline. Jewels lined the edges of the neckline and long sleeves. It fanned out like a mermaid's tail near her thighs, and its long train dragged behind her magnificently. Worst of all, Ginny wore a smile. But it wasn't Ginny's smile, where laughter reached her eyes. No, this was a sinister smile.

"How pathetic you are," she sneered. While Jack had been busy checking out Mean Ginny, he hadn't noticed the copy of himself, cowering before her. He wasn't wearing his captain's hat, and his eyes were wide with fear.

"Ginny, please…" said Sad Jack. "Don't hurt me… I just wanted to know… Why did you kill me?"

Mean Ginny laughed. It was short and cold. Jack was afraid of this Ginny. "I wanted to, you fool."

"You… What?" simpered Sad Jack.

"I wanted to kill you," said Mean Ginny. She leaned down, her face level with Sad Jack's. "And I'll do it again."

"But… I don't understand…" said Sad Jack.

"You throw women away like property, Jack Sparrow. You are a coward. I do not tolerate cowards, nor do I tolerate men who treat women with such disrespect." said Mean Ginny. "And you forgot me all those years ago… So I got my revenge."

"Ginny, I'm sorry!" wailed Sad Jack.

Mean Ginny withdrew a dagger. "I'm sure you are," she said. "Too bad it's not enough." And then she plunged the dagger into Sad Jack's heart. Jack backed away, gasping. He'd _felt_ that. He clutched his chest and fell into his cabin, kicking the door shut behind him. He wheezed painfully. And just like that, the pain lifted.

"Jack, child, are you ready?" said a familiar voice. Jack looked up to see Eve gazing at him. He got to his feet.

"No one's called me 'child' in a while." he said.

"You will always be that little boy Ginny found in the barn all those years ago to me." said Eve.

Jack wanted to hug her. She seemed like a second mother to him, yet he still couldn't remember her… Even though he knew who she was. Eve took him to the farm again, but this time, it was unrecognizable. The barn was gone. It was in a heap of ashes and charred bits of wood. Jack approached it. It was like stepping into one of his nightmares, except the little girl was missing. "I know what happens," he muttered. "I've been here before… In one of my nightmares."

"You returned like you promised, but you came too late. And only by a few hours." said Eve.

"I buried you," said Jack, watching his younger self come across the scene. "And two others. Who were they?"

"My sister and her husband," Eve said.

"I figured. I remembered them in my dream, but I thought it was just that- a dream." Jack said. His younger self, after burying the bodies, picked up the shovel and began attacking a tree. He screamed until he was hoarse. Exhausted, he dropped to the ground, sobbing.

"Unfortunately, it was a memory." said Eve. Jack looked at her. His eyes pricked with tears.

"What happened next?" he demanded.

The scene changed. They were standing in a study. Cutler Beckett, about fifteen years younger, was sitting at the desk. He looked up to see young Jack holding a dagger. "Where is she?" growled young Jack.

Beckett sighed. "You're going to have to be a bit more specific, Mr. Sparrow."

"You know who I'm talking about!" snarled young Jack. Beckett got to his feet and walked past Jack, to the other side of the room. He opened a thick book.

"Miss Enright escaped here a few months ago. We are tracking down her whereabouts as we speak." he said.

"You can't!" said young Jack, looking horrified. "She's only eleven, you sick bastard! You can't force her to be a sex slave! People aren't cargo!"

Jack looked at Eve, feeling sick. "I can, and I will. Her father owed me a great deal of money. Young Miss Enright will earn that back." said Beckett.

"I won't let you." hissed young Jack. "She's just a kid."

"Ah, how sweet. You're going to protect your little beloved. Aren't you a little old for the strumpet, I daresay?" said Beckett. Young Jack leapt at Beckett, but Beckett was faster. He grabbed a small statue and hit Jack in the back of the head with it. Jack crumpled. Beckett called in a guard. Young Jack was dragged away.

Jack looked at Eve. She led him to a different scene. It seemed to be a few days later. Young Jack was back in Beckett's office. But he was no longer angry. "What do you remember, Mr. Sparrow?" asked Beckett.

Young Jack looked like he was struggling to do just that. "Not much. I just remember that I used to live on a farm… And then a cove… And then I woke up in the infirmary, I guess."

Beckett looked pleased. "We found you with a nasty blow to your head. Lying in the street, minutes from death… I suppose that hindered your memory."

"So… You saved me, then?" said young Jack.

"I did." lied Beckett.

"How can I ever repay you?" asked young Jack.

"How about you work for me?" said Beckett.

"Agreed," said young Jack. The scene faded, and Jack and Eve stood in his cabin aboard the _Pearl_.

"I forgot? Just like that?" Jack demanded.

"Those memories were traumatic. You saw how you nearly went mad at seeing the farm. Your mind, protecting its sanity, stored those memories in the back of your mind. And then Beckett hit you in the head and… Well, you saw what happened." said Eve.

"But… It doesn't make any sense… How could I just forget? And then I worked for him!" Jack's voice had risen to a bellow as he kicked a chair.

Eve didn't flinch. "I hope this helps you, Jack. Don't be too harsh on Ginny if you ever see her again."

"What is your last name?" Jack asked suddenly.

Eve looked surprised. "Enright, formally Stormmare."

Jack swallowed. "Tia Dalma said Ginny had power?"

Eve sighed. "Alas, that is a different mystery to be solved, one I cannot help you with."

"So it's true?" Jack said.

Eve gave him a mischievous smile. "Maybe, but that is for you and her to discover."

Jack stared at her. "I still don't remember."

"Perhaps, in time, you will. But at least now you know." said Eve.

"Thank you, Evelyn. For showing me… And being a second mother to me." Jack said.

Eve's eyes glittered with tears. She wrapped Jack in an embrace. "Oh, Jack… Don't forget what you've seen. It will all make sense. I promise."

"It sounds like you're saying goodbye." Jack said.

Evelyn looked at him with gentleness. "For now, Jack Sparrow."

Jack nodded, understanding. They hugged again, and then Evelyn Stormmare faded away. Jack exited his cabin, feeling like he was about to throw up. He stopped when he saw Ginny. Instantly he knew that this was the Ginny he knew. Her hair cascaded around her shoulders like a golden waterfall. Her eyes were blue-green like the shallows of the sea. She wore a navy dress that hung off her shoulders. It was simple yet elegant. Her pendant hung around her neck. her lips were their natural reddish pink, plump and beautiful.

"Jack…" she whispered. Jack looked around for some copy of himself, but there was none. He turned his attention back to Ginny. "Jack, I…" Tears filled her eyes, and she faded away, shaking her head. Jack sat down and put his face in his hands. He didn't even take shelter when the blood rain came.


	4. Chapter 4

**_Chapter Four_**

"Care to interpret? _Captain_ Barbossa," said Will. His sarcasm was apparent. Barbossa stared at Will suspiciously, but he didn't argue.

Ginny moved in closer. She wanted to hear how close they were getting. "Ever gazed upon the green flash, Master Gibbs?" said Barbossa in drawling tone.

"Aye, I think I've seen my fair share," said Gibbs mysteriously, looking at the sky as if he expected the light to appear then. He turned to them. "It happens on rare occasions, at the last glimpse of sunset, a green flash shoots up into the sky. Some go their whole lives without ever seein' it, some claim to see who ain't. And some say-," Gibbs was caught off by Pintel.

"It signals when a soul comes back to this world, from the dead!" he said. Gibbs shot an unamused glare at Pintel, who looked genuinely sorry. "Sorry." he said.

"It's not gettin' to the Land of the dead that's the problem," said Barbossa, handing the Charts back to Will. "It's gettin' back."

…

Yep, Jack had completely lost his mind. There were copies of himself running all over the place now. And no Ginny. Not even Mean Ginny. Not that he cared, of course. Or did he? He wasn't sure. All he wanted was to be rid of the madness, which was eating away at his mind already. How long had he been there? Hours? Days? Weeks? Months? Years? What if it had already been a hundred years, and he was going to be free soon? If that were true, that meant that everyone he liked and cared (only a little!) for would be dead. Or close to it. No, definitely dead. He imagined Ginny being a hundred and twenty-five years old. He shuddered.

After an argument with a shirtless version of himself, Jack stabbed the man. He wiped the nonexistent blood on the railing of the _Pearl_ and then gave a grandiose speech to them all. Suddenly, he jumped up on the rail. "Gentlemen! I wash my hands of this weirdness." And then he swung off the _Pearl_.

After a lot of talking to himself and licking a rock, Jack tried pulling the _Black_ _Pearl_. Tired after only a few minutes of trying, he paused, panting. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Ginny. Or a ghost of her. She looked sad beyond comprehension as she faded away. Jack's eyes rolled back into his head and he fainted.

…..

Ginny looked ahead, her heart sinking. There was a titanic waterfall. And they were headed straight for it. Will shouted orders, which the crew followed, panicking. The ship slowed, but Barbossa intervened. "Belay that! Let her run straight and slow!" he yelled.

And suddenly it clicked. Ginny stopped following Will's orders. "It's the edge of the world." she breathed. She grabbed hold of the rail, feeling the _Hai_ _Peng_ dip beneath her. She heard Elizabeth scream, but Ginny made no sound. She was about to atone for her sins. She was ready to free the Sparrow. And perhaps, he would free her, too. But that would only come with a dagger to her heart.

The ship fell down, somersaulting in the air, until it crashed in the sea below. Ginny struggled to swim ashore. Who all had survived? She looked around as she crawled onto the sand. By the looks of it, nearly everyone had survived. Ginny looked around. Sand. There was nothing but sand. "I don't see Jack." said Elizabeth to Ginny's right.

"I don't see anybody." Ginny pointed out.

"He's here," Barbossa assured them. "Davy Jones never once gave back what he took."

"And does it matter?" demanded Will. "We're trapped here by your doing, no different than Jack."

Trapped? Ginny was glad she was. She deserved that much… But the others? They didn't deserve this. "Witty Jack… Is closer dan you tink…" said Tia Dalma, stroking a crab.

Where'd the crab come from? Ginny stared at the crab, confused. Then something dark caught her attention. She felt her mouth open involuntarily. There was the _Black_ _Pearl_, sailing in the sand like it was merely water. And standing on the starboard rail was a very familiar figure. Ginny smiled, ready to greet Jack. Her smile faltered. Ginny suddenly felt sick to her stomach. How could she face Jack? How could she greet him? She hung back as the others went to greet Jack. She had to squat down in the sand to keep from fainting.

"Mr. Gibbs!" shouted Jack.

"Aye Cap'n?" said Gibbs.

"I thought so. I expect you're able to account for your actions, then." said Jack.

"Sir?" said Gibbs, confused.

"There has been a perpetual and inferable lack of discipline aboard my vessel, why? WHY IS THAT SIR?" roared Jack.

"Sir, you're… You're in Davy Jones's Locker, cap'n." explained Gibbs in a hushed voice.

Jack looked briefly confused and frightened. "I know that," he said, smoothing his expression. "I know where I am. And don't think I don't!"

Ginny felt even sicker. Jack had lost his mind! "Jack Sparrow." said Barbossa.

Jack looked over at Barbossa. "Ah! Hector! It's been too long!" he said with a grin, crossing over to Barbossa.

"Isla de Muerte," said Barbossa. "Remember? You shot me." Ginny looked at Barbossa in bewilderment over Jack's shoulder. Barbossa met her gaze, and she understood. He was trying to jot Jack's memory.

Unfortunately, it didn't work. "No I didn't," said Jack. He approached Tia Dalma. "Tia Dalma, out and about, eh?"

"He thinks we're a hallucination," said Will.

Jack approached Will. "William tell me something: Have you come because you need my help to save a certain distressing damsel? Or rather damsel in distress? Either one."

"No." said Will, his voice cold.

"Well then you wouldn't be here, would you? So you can't be here. QED, you're not really here!" Jack said analytically.

Ginny sighed. Desperate times call for desperate measures. She stepped into Jack's line of view. "Jack," she said. He turned. "This is real, we're here." Jack was visibly moved to see Ginny. He faltered and stammered a bit, staring at her. He turned and hurried back to Gibbs, muttering something to the man.

"We've come to rescue you!" said Elizabeth.

Jack wheeled around once more. "Have you now? Well that's very kind of you… But seeing as how I possess a ship and you don't, you're the ones in need of rescuing. And I'm not sure I'm in the mood…" His tone was like ice.

Ginny felt the ice prickle in her stomach while hot flashes of anxiety washed over her. He didn't want them because of her. She needed to stay behind, it was the only way. "Jack, Cutler Beckett has the heart of Davy Jones. He controls the _Flying_ _Dutchman_." said Will, standing right beside Jack. Elizabeth stood on his other side.

"He's taking over the seas!" she said.

"The song has already been sung, the Brethren Court is called." added Tia.

"I leave you people alone for five minutes and look what's happened: everything's gone to pot!" cried Jack, scampering away from them.

"We need you, Jack." cried Elizabeth.

"And you need a crew!" added Will.

Jack stopped. He turned, and Ginny could see the anger in his eyes. "Why should I sail with any of you? Four of you have tried to kill me in the past, one of you succeeded." He pointed at Ginny. Everyone wheeled to look at her. She avoided the shocked faces of Will and Elizabeth and Gibbs. "Oh, she's not told you? Well you'll have loads to talk about while you're here."

Ginny waited for it to be over. Soon they were all back on the _Pearl_. Everyone was giving Ginny dirty looks. Even Gibbs looked disappointed in her. Unable to take it anymore, she went all the way below deck, pacing. She couldn't believe herself. She needed her pistol. Now. She journeyed to the middle deck, but when she reached the steps leading up to the main deck, she couldn't bring herself to go all the way up. She sank down into a sitting position and began to cry silently. She hadn't cried in a long time. It felt good, in a sickening sort of way.

"You left Jack for the Kraken." said Will. It wasn't a question.

Ginny wiped away her tears. "He's rescued now, it's over with."

"You chose not to tell me or Elizabeth." said Will. He sounded hurt.

Ginny stared at him. "I couldn't… It wasn't your burden to bear."

"Only we did bear it, didn't we?" said Will, turning to look at Ginny. "It strained our relationship. We didn't know what to do. You weren't yourself, Ginny."

"You thought… I loved him." Ginny choked.

"You were suicidal after he was gone! What else were we supposed to think?" hissed Will. Ginny got up to move past him, to go further below deck. But Will grabbed her and shoved her up against a pillar. "Why, Ginny?" he demanded.

"To save you! I was trying to do what was right, Will! You, Elizabeth and the others didn't deserve to die… And I should've stayed behind to die with Jack!" Ginny cried.

"If you make decisions like this on your own, how can Elizabeth and I trust you?" Will asked.

Ginny met his gaze, her demeanor calm. "You can't." she said simply.

"That's enough, Will." said a new voice. Ginny felt sick. Will left with a last glance at Ginny. She watched the newcomer take his stance before her.

"Have you come to get your revenge?" she asked quietly. "I don't blame you."

"Why would I do that?" Jack asked, his voice surprisingly gentle.

Ginny met his gaze. "Uh, I killed you?" she said flatly.

Was he still forgetful? Jack didn't flinch. "I don't want revenge, love."

Ginny flinched. "Don't call me that."

"Why not?" Jack queried.

"I… Never mind." Ginny replied.

Jack took a deep breath. "Actually, I was going to say I forgive you."

Ginny stared at him. "No… You can't!" she cried.

Jack looked taken aback. "Why not?"

Ginny stared at him, her eyes brimming with tears. "I don't deserve it."

Jack's dark gaze softened. "What do you deserve, love?"

"To be left behind! Here, in the Locker… Or you to stab me in the heart…" Ginny paused when Jack flinched.

"Love, you did the right thing. In an odd way, but it was the right thing to do. None of you deserved to pay for my mistakes. And I could see, in your eyes, that you were sorry. And so I forgave you." he said after a long pause.

Ginny was nearly rendered speechless. "But…" she trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"But I do remember," said Jack, his tone taking on an edge. Ginny felt the color drain from her face as she met Jack's rigid stare.

"Remember… What?" Her words came out choked and breathless. His eyes, normally bright and glittering with amusement and mischievousness, had turned cold and hard.

"Everything," Jack replied. Ginny said nothing and looked at the floor. "Why didn't you tell me?" Jack demanded after a few solid beats of earsplitting silence.

Ginny sensed the desperateness in Jack's tone and looked up. "What could I have said, Jack?" she whispered. "When you pulled me out of the bay at Port Royal, I recognized you. But you didn't recognize me. You were different. _I _was different! We were no longer children with hopes and dreams. I couldn't tell if you just didn't remember or if you didn't know who I was… What was I supposed to say, Jack?"

"_Anything_ would have been better than nothing!" Jack roared, unable to contain his anger. Ginny flinched. "I've gone my whole life without a single damn solid memory of my childhood!"

Ginny's eyes flashed dangerously. "Oh, boohoo!" she mocked. Jack stared at her in shock. "_I wish I could forget_!"

"You don't understand," Jack spat. "All I could remember were my years after my nineteenth birthday, nothing before except fuzzy glimpses. That's a substantial chunk of my life missing!"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "You didn't remember! You would've thought I was crazy if I'd told you!"

Jack grabbed Ginny by the arms. "The more I remember, the more I'm maddened, Ginny. I've gone through hell, trying to figure out where I came from. And now, Im losing my mind because I know that the one person I trust most kept this secret from me!" he bellowed.

"_You've gone through hell_?" Ginny hissed. "I'd give anything to be in your position. I was eleven, Jack. Eleven! I held my mother as she bled to death in my arms! I was on my own for five years, escaping brothels and slavery… I watched as my fiancée was stabbed to death. And then I met you again, and you didn't even know who I was! All these years, I'd been foolishly hoping that one day, we'd see each other again, and my misery would end. But it only got worse. Eventually, I learned that no one was going to save me. I had to save myself. I gave up on you and everyone else, and I learned to take care of myself. Because the past doesn't define you, you do. I had to learn that the hard way, Jack. You had the chance, but you've been so busy searching for you past that you didn't learn who you are. You have your memories, Jack. You don't need to blame me for why you feel lost. I can't say that I made the right choice by not telling you, because I honestly don't know. But I do know that your memories won't change who you are. Only you can do that." Ginny pulled out of Jack's grip and dashed up the stairs, onto the main deck. Everyone must have heard them yelling, because they had all stopped to stare at her. Holding back tears, she barricaded herself in the captain's cabin. Then she slid down onto the floor, not bothering to stop the flow of tears that poured down her cheeks.


	5. Chapter 5

**_Chapter Five_**  
**Yay, Jack remembers! I hope it's all interesting to you guys… But the mystery isn't over yet! Please review! I normally don't post until someone has reviewed, faved or followed. So don't be shy!  
**  
Jack did his best to avoid Ginny at all costs. He couldn't look at her much less talk to her. It just made him angry. So, he ignored her. But on the Black Pearl, where space was limited, ignoring Ginny was nearly impossible. He ran into her every time he rounded a corner.  
Time was different in the Locker. One hour felt like three hours, so it took a long time for it to get dark. Jack went below deck, heading to the galley in search of food. He stopped when he heard voices. "I don't see why yer complainin' about Sparrow hatin' ye. I'd be thrilled." drawled Barbossa's voice.  
"I don't want him to, though…" replied Ginny's voice.  
Jack plastered himself against the wall, eavesdropping. "Aye, I suppose ye have a point… Ye did leave him to die, though." said Barbossa.  
"But Jack said he forgave me for that. He's angry because… He has his memories back." Ginny responded. Jack cringed. He did remember everything. It was like a dream. He remembered sitting outside with Ginny's siblings, telling ghost stories. He remembered cheering Ginny up when she was sick, and he remembered Ginny playing the piano for his birthday. He remembered almost kissing Ginny, but she ran away before he got the chance. Most of all, he remembered their goodbye.  
"Is that so?" Barbossa sounded bored.  
"You knew my grandmother." said Ginny, her tone suddenly extremely serious.  
There was a pause. "Aye, I knew Selene."  
"How?" asked Ginny.  
"Yer quite nosy," snapped Barbossa.  
"She's my grandmother!" protested Ginny.  
Barbossa sighed. "I was friends with her and Patrick, way back."  
"My grandfather?" Ginny queried.  
"Aye," replied Barbossa. Sadness coated his tone.  
"What happened?" Ginny asked quietly.  
"We went our separate ways." said Barbossa simply.  
"You're lying." said Ginny.  
"Maybe it's none of yer business." snapped Barbossa. There was a loud scraping noise as someone stood up, pushing their chair back. Jack snuck back upstairs and sat down, staring at the Charts. Barbossa had known Ginny's family too?

"I deserve to know." Ginny said, glaring at Barbossa.  
He sighed. "We were friends, that's all. I sensed a fight between me and Patrick, so I went off to do my privateering while Selene stayed with Patrick. They got married and that's that."  
Ginny stared at Barbossa. "You loved her," she realized. Barbossa looked at Ginny sharply. "You loved my grandmother. You and Patrick were going to fight because you both loved her."  
"And she loved us, too. I didn't want her to have to choose, so I left." said Barbossa.  
Ginny was dumbfounded. Barbossa could've been her grandfather? She suppressed a shiver. "What do you know about the necklace?"  
Barbossa leered at her. "Ye sure do ask a lot of questions. I don't know what yer necklace does, except announce who's a Stormmare and who's not. Now if you excuse me, I need to be studying me Charts." Barbossa pushed past her.  
Ginny let him go, too stunned to move. When she finally got to the top deck, it was dark out. She walked right past Jack and looked out at the sea. She nearly peed herself when she noticed all the people in boats. And then she recognized one. "Elizabeth, it's… It's your father!" she cried.  
"We've made it back!" Elizabeth said in excitement. "Father, here look here!"  
"Elizabeth, we're not back." said Jack seriously.  
Elizabeth's smile faded. She called out to Governor Swann again, but Ginny didn't listen. That meant her adopted father was dead. And Beckett was responsible… She sank to her knees, unable to hold herself up. She felt extremely faint and dizzy. She nearly vomited as Elizabeth sobbed for her father. Ginny felt a hand on her back. "Are you all right, Ginny?" asked the caregiver. Ginny looked up to see Gibbs.  
"I…" Ginny struggled to speak. Jack suddenly stepped into her line of view and Ginny felt a painful tug in her gut. Jack crouched down to her eyelevel.  
"Ginny, are you all right?" Jack asked firmly.  
"He's… He's dead…" Ginny whispered. Jack looked up at Gibbs, and then back at Ginny.  
"Ginny," Jack's voice softened. Concern replaced the coldness in his eyes. Jack and Gibbs helped Ginny stand. Jack led her to the captain's cabin. He sat her down on the bed. "Ginny, look at me."  
Ginny obeyed, tears in her eyes. She didn't really see Jack. "It's my fault." she breathed.  
"What is?" asked Jack sharply.  
"He's dead because of me," Ginny said.  
"Ginny, you can't blame yourself." said Jack.  
Ginny looked into Jack's eyes. "Beckett wants me dead, Jack. You know that."  
Jack pressed his lips together firmly. "That doesn't make this your fault."  
"He's trying to get to me by hurting the ones I love." Ginny said.  
Jack looked at her, his gaze gentle. "That's not true, love. Governor Swann knew too much."  
Ginny closed her eyes. She meant to answer, but she just fell away into unconsciousness.

Jack watched Ginny sleep for a few minutes. He wiped the tears from her cheeks. He gazed at her for a long time. He wanted to hold her, like he used to when she was scared. He wanted to protect her like a brother would his little sister. He leaned down. He didn't want to fight her anymore. How stupid was that? They had lost each other, and now they were reunited. Why would they spend that time fighting and hating each other? But then he remembered: Ginny didn't care about him. If she did, she wouldn't have kept that secret. Jack got up, shooting pains exploding in his chest as he walked away from Ginny.

Ginny was useless. She and Elizabeth both. They sat around, staring at nothing. And Ginny didn't care. If they were stuck there forever, so be it. Ginny deserved it. If they escaped, Ginny could just get her pistol. All Ginny knew was that she didn't deserve life. It took Ginny a moment to realize that Jack was running back and forth on the deck, shouting nonsense. She got up. She'd help the others return to the Land of the Living. She approached Jack. "What is it?" she asked.  
"Uh, I don't know!" cried Jack. He ran to the other side. Ginny followed. Soon, most of the crew had followed his example.  
"We're rocking the ship!" cried Gibbs.  
"Aye, he's onto it!" yelled Barbossa in reply. True enough, the Black Pearl was swaying. Ginny couldn't help but smile at Jack's ingenuity. He'd always been that way. The ship continued to rock, growing more vehement. When the whole crew was participating, they had to hold onto the rail, wait for the ship to dip down on the side they were on, and run up to the other side. Ginny grabbed hold of the rail, and her feet swung out from underneath her.  
"Now up is down." said Jack. The Black Pearl tipped over, and Ginny took a deep breath before being submerged underwater. They were like this for a long while, hanging onto the ship's rail. Then there was a rushing noise. Ginny looked down to see the bottom of the ocean getting closer and closer and then…  
Ginny coughed on deck, spluttering. Jack shook his head, shaking water off himself pointlessly. "Blessed sweet westerly's… We're back!" cried Gibbs.  
Ginny got to her feet. "It's the sunrise." said Elizabeth softly. Sure enough, the sun was waking, peeking over the sea. Ginny heard the distinct click of a pistol's hammer being pulled back. She wheeled around. Barbossa had a pistol pointed at Jack. Elizabeth had pointed a pistol at Jack and Barbossa, and Will had his pistols trained on Jack and Barbossa as well. Jack had one Will and one on Elizabeth. Ginny rolled her eyes. She leaned against a rail and watched them with amusement.  
"Right then," said Barbossa. "The Brethren Court is a-gatherin', and you and I are a-goin'. There'll be no arguin' that point."  
"I is arguing that point," Jack retorted. "If there's pirates a-gathering, I'm pointing my ship the other way."  
"The pirates are gathering to fight Beckett and you're a pirate!" growled Elizabeth, turning both of her pistols onto Jack. Jack trained another on Elizabeth.  
"Fight or not, you're not running, Jack." said Will quickly, pointing his spare pistol at Jack. Jack pointed the pistol he'd just pointed at Elizabeth back to Will.  
"If we don't fight together, the Company will hunt us all down, one by one, till there's none left, but you." said Barbossa.  
"I quite like the sound of that," said Jack. "Captain Jack Sparrow… The last pirate…"  
Ginny rolled her eyes. When had Jack become so fearful of death that he would rather curse himself than face it? "Aye, and you'll be fighting Jones alone. How does that feel into your plan?" said Barbossa.  
"I'm still working on that, mate," Jack admitted. "But I will not be going back to the Locker, mate. You can count on that." He pulled the trigger, his pistol now aimed at Barbossa's face. There was a click and a spurt of water, but nothing more. Barbossa jumped. Everyone attempted to fire their pistols, all looking disappointed.  
Ginny laughed. "Wet powder!" Gibbs concluded.  
"Oi! We can still use them as clubs!" said Pintel. "Ow!" he snapped when Ragetti rapped him smartly in the head with the butt of his pistol.  
"Sorry," said Ragetti. "Effective, though." Ginny smirked at the two and followed the others, who'd gathered around the Charts. Will had pointed out a freshwater spring. He presented an proposal that they could restock their supplies at the island and get back to shooting each other later.  
"You lead the shore party, and I'll stay with my ship." said Jack coldly.  
"I'll not be leaving my ship in your command," countered Barbossa.  
"Why don't you both go ashore and leave the ship in my command?" snapped Will. Both captains looked at Will. "Temporarily." Will muttered.  
Jack and Barbossa climbed into the dinghy, heading for shore while Ginny, Elizabeth and Will stayed behind. "Ginny, listen, I wanted to apologize about earlier…" said Will, looking uncomfortable.  
Ginny looked up at him and offered a weak smile. "I understand."  
Will relaxed. He turned away, giving Ginny and Elizabeth a moment. "Lizzie… I am so sorry." Ginny whispered.  
Elizabeth nodded stiffly. "He was a father to you, too." she said. Ginny hugged her sister.  
"I wish I could say the right thing to make you feel better, but… I know what it's like to lose your parents." Ginny murmured.  
Elizabeth shook with a sob. "Thank you for understanding."  
"We've got company." said Gibbs. Ginny and Elizabeth broke apart. There was a Singaporean ship, approaching the Pearl with rapid speed. The remaining of Tai Huang's men took out their pistols, cocked them, and aimed them at the crew of the Pearl.


	6. Chapter 6

**_Chapter Six _**

Jack rubbed his wrists as he was shoved quite roughly into Beckett's cabin. Jack immediately started looking for the heart in every container he could find. Beckett didn't turn away from the window. "Remarkable," said Beckett in his nasally voice. "The last time I saw that ship, she was on fire, a blackened hull sinking beneath the waves. We had a deal, Jack. I contracted you to deliver cargo on my behalf, and you chose to liberate it."

Jack paused, glancing down at his arm, branded with the mark of piracy. "People aren't cargo, mate." he muttered. He frowned, realizing that he'd told Beckett those exact words a little over fifteen years ago, regarding Ginny.

"And you incurred a heavy debt to raise her up again, didn't you?" said Beckett. Jack didn't answer. "It's not here, Jack." Beckett had finally turned away from the window, showing his pathetic face to Jack.

Jack whirled to face Beckett. It took a lot of controlling of himself for Jack to not to march over a frog Beckett right in the nose. "What? What isn't?" Jack queried, harsher than he'd meant to.

"The heart of Davy Jones," said Beckett. "It is safely aboard the Dutchman, and therefore unavailable for use to satisfy your debt with the good captain." Beckett continued, enunciating every word disgustingly clearly.

"By my reckoning, that debt was settled." said Jack, walking around. He noticed a ridiculous painting of Beckett himself posing majestically. The East India Trading Company flag billowed beside Beckett in the painted wind.

"By your death?" countered Beckett. "And yet here you are."

"Close your eyes and pretend it's all a bad dream, mate. S'how I get by." Jack replied, grinning. He picked up a staff, the very one in the painting. He turned back to the painting, puckering his lips, posing. He tried to mock the painting as much as possible, especially in front of Beckett.

"Your good deed cost me, Jack." said Beckett silkily.

Jack grimaced. He turned to Beckett. "And you have spared me any possibility of ending up as anything other than what I am. For that, I truly thank you." The gratitude slid through his mouth like gravel, but Jack was, in fact, grateful. He didn't want to be a goon like Beckett. He was glad that the morals the Enright family had taught him had stuck with him, even without his memories of the family themselves. He didn't regret setting the slaves free. They weren't cargo. Ad they never would be. "Will someone be in soon to draw you a bath?" Jack asked, picking up one of the little model ships off the desk.

Beckett smirked. "It'd be so nice for all of us to be on holiday year round," he countered. "But someone must ensure that the world turns properly." He spun the globe for effect. Jack watched it spin for a few seconds. "People are what they love, Jack. And what they love is cargo. They love spices and linens and silks and plantains. And as long as it is delivered on time, and in sufficient supply, then they are content to be nothing more than figures on a leger." Beckett looked up at Jack sharply.

Jack ignored him, picking up a peanut. "Peanut," he muttered, popping the legume into his mouth.

"You're a clever man, Jack," said Beckett. "You know I'm right."

"If you're offering me a spot on the board, I am neither depraved enough nor drunk enough to accept." said Jack, giving Beckett a leering look.

"Well then perhaps you'll consider an alternative approach," said Beckett, pouring some gin into two tiny, pathetic, minuscule glasses. "One that requires absolutely nothing from you," continued Beckett, handing Jack one of the silly glasses. Jack stared at inquiringly. _I highly doubt it requires nothing from me._ "But information." Beckett finished.

Jack glanced at the desk. Seeing the Pieces of Eight, he knew what it was about. "Regarding the Brethren Court, no doubt," he said. He snatched Beckett's glass away before the rim touched Beckett's poisonous lips. "In exchange for fair compensation?" Jack drained the first glass. "Square my debt with Jones?" Jack continued, slurping down the other glass in one gulp. "Guarantee my freedom?"

Beckett stared at him. "Of course," he said slowly, pouring more gin. "It's just good business."

"Were I in a divulgitory mood, what then, might I divulge?" Jack asked, lifting a little toy soldier that looked uncannily like Beckett.

"Everything," whispered Beckett, suddenly in a very close proximity of Jack's face. Jack leaned back a little bit. "Where are they meeting? Who are the Pirate Lords? What is the purpose of the Nine Pieces of Eight?"

Jack chewed on his inner cheek. _Nope, too much information you git. Ginny would murder me if she ever found out about this… And then Beckett… And then me… Again… _"I think I'd prefer to maintain my monopoly with those answers, mate," Jack said. He gave Beckett a contemptuous smirk. "Just good business and all," he added. _Sold any little girls lately? Are they the cargo people like, too?_

"You haven't changed," said Beckett, taking a sip of his alcoholic beverage. "Enjoy the gallows."

Jack snatched Beckett's glass. "I've been," Jack said, turning away, sipping the drink. "Once you've taken in the view, there's really not much else to it," Jack turned back around. "Now, far be it for me to give advice to you, but if I were me, and you were you, we each have the same lack of trust in the other. Imagine you're me. You being me would propose that rather than you telling me where the Brethren Court was meeting, you'd lead me there instead. Whereupon you will serve up to me the Pirate Lords and the Nine Pieces of Eight and the whole of the Brethren Court on a silver platter. And you being me, I would like the exception to be on a silver platter, you and me. Savvy?" He said all this while circling the desk, baiting Beckett.

"On a silver platter," repeated Beckett, a hungry gleam in his pale eyes.

"With a frilly little napkin and a spicy banana on the side," Jack confirmed.

Beckett refilled his glass. Jack gestured to his own. Beckett rolled his eyes but complied. "And you would be willing to deliver your friends to me?"

Jack grimaced, his back to Beckett. He began fanning himself. He twirled around. "You can keep Barbossa. The belligerent homunculus and his friend with the wooden eye, both. And Turner, especially Turner. The rest go aboard with me to Shipwreck Cove where I will hand you the pirates, and you will not hand me to Jones."

Beckett looked up from his desk. "And what becomes of Miss Stormmare?" he asked smoothly.

Jack stopped fanning himself. His stomach churned uncomfortably. He leaned forward, smirk toying at his lips, trying to remain coy. "What interest is she to you?"

Beckett smirked. "What indeed," he muttered. He met Jack's stare. "She is quite the little spitfire, don't you think? It's gotten her into lots of trouble, and it will happen again," He stood up. "She and I have unfinished business to attend to."

Jack turned, his eyes never leaving Beckett's form. "She comes with me." he said firmly.

Beckett turned, sneering. "How sweet: You are protecting your beloved."

Jack looked at Beckett calculatingly. "She's not my beloved." he replied flatly.

"Not yet," corrected Beckett. He walked over to the painting of himself. "Jack, I've just recalled: I have this wonderful compass which points to whatever I want. So, for what, do I need you?"

Jack grimaced. He looked at Beckett, smiling. "Points to whatever you want most," he said. "And that is not the Brethren Court, is it?"

"Then what is?" questioned Beckett irritably.

"Me," replied Jack brightly. He frowned, sobering. "Dead."

"Damn," muttered Beckett. He tossed Jack the compass. He withdrew a small pistol. _Why's it so little? It's kinda cute, actually… He's trying to make himself look bigger… _"Although, if I kill you now, then I can use the compass to find- Shipwreck Cove, is it?- on my own. Cut out the middle man, as it were."

Jack stared at Beckett, thinking fast. "With me killed, you'd arrive at the cove, find it a stronghold, nigh impregnable, able to withstand blockade for years, and you'll be thinking: 'Oh, if I'd only not killed that someone on the inside so that the pirates then come outside'."

"And you can accomplish all this, can you?" queried Beckett.

"You may kill me but you may never insult me," said Jack with outstretched arms and a gracious smile. "Who am I?" Beckett looked at Jack, sputtering. "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow." _t was a simple question, you tosspot. _There was an explosion, and Jack and Beckett stumbled. Jack shook Beckett's hand hastily. "Deal!"


	7. Chapter 7

**_Chapter Seven_**

**I want to thank moonsword17 for pointing out the errors in Chapter 5! I re-uploaded the chapter to fix it. **

**moonsword17: Thank you for your review! I'm sorry you haven't been sleeping just to read my fanfic, but I'm not gonna lie, that makes me feel good! And I've been staying up way too late just to write more chapters… I stayed up till about 3 in the morning one night. Anyhow, enjoy the story, this chapter is for you! **

Ginny watched Jack order Will to be put in the brig. She crossed her arms, frowning. _Serves_ _Will_ _right_, she thought. _Although, I am sad that we've all come to hate each other… Whatever happened? _Ginny waited for the crowd to disperse. Jack looked at her, his eyes steadily examining her face.

"Where's Elizabeth?" Jack asked.

Ginny frowned. "She's on Sao Feng's ship. He thinks she is Calypso."

Jack looked taken aback. "Calypso?" he repeated.

"Dat is an absurd assumption," said Tia Dalma, joining them. She looked rather annoyed.

"I thought so, too," Ginny agreed.

"If he had t'ought anyone would be Calypso, it'd be you." said Tia Dalma, eyeing Ginny.

"Me?" Ginny said in bemusement.

"Aye, you," said Tia. "Yer necklace be a sign o' da sea, Ginny Stormmare."

Ginny felt as if her stomach were doing back flips. "Don't call me that…" she muttered.

Tia's dark eyes glimmered. "Ye be denyin' yer own name, Ginny Stormmare."

Ginny flinched. "I'm not ashamed of it, if that's what you're saying."

Tia smirked. "And yet yeh still deny yer name."

Ginny glanced at Jack, remembering he was there. He was watching with a thoughtful expression. His eyebrows were pinched together, his whole face drawn into a frown. His eyes were soft with contemplation, as if he were just as curious as Tia. "It's for… It's better if I don't use my name."

Tia tilted her head. "It cause yeh too much pain, don't it?"

Ginny averted her gaze from both Jack and Tia. "Yes," she admitted.

"And no," finished Tia, her tone gentle with amusement.

Ginny looked up. "It's safer this way," Ginny pushed past Tia and Jack. She looked back at them. "And you're wrong about me, Tia Dalma. I don't have immense power. If I did, I would've been able to save many lives."

Ginny walked away, fuming. _A mark of the sea… What does this necklace mean? So many notice it… So many know more about it than I do. I can't be powerful… That's only something you hear in fairytales… Or legends… _

….

Jack followed Ginny to the galley. Luckily no one was in there. "Love? Are you all right?" he asked.

Ginny stopped her pacing and wheeled around. "I don't know what this means!" she cried, slamming something down onto the table. Jack looked at it. It was her pendant. He looked at her, surprised.

"Maybe you don't need to, love." he said gently.

Ginny looked frustrated. "But it… It's important. I just know it."

Jack gave her a small smile. "Maybe you'll figure it out in time, Gin."

Ginny looked at him sharply. "Jack…" she trailed off.

Jack looked at his shoes. "Sorry, I meant… Love. I meant to call you love."

He didn't want to meet Ginny's gaze. He didn't want to see the anger, disgust and hatred in her eyes. "It's all right," said Ginny. Jack looked up. Her eyes didn't hold any icy hatred or fiery anger. There was only gentleness, a little bit of sorrow, but soft sadness. "I just thought you were still angry with me."

Jack frowned. "Not angry, love," he corrected her. "Just confused."

This didn't seem to ease Ginny's sadness. "I'm sorry, Jack," she whispered.

Jack sighed. "I'm sure you are, Ginny. I just… I can't forgive you."

Ginny looked up, pain flashing in her eyes. Jack ignored the guilt and sorrow scratching at his conscious. "Oh." she muttered. The agony in her voice was painful to hear.

"At least not yet," Jack said.

Ginny nodded. "I understand."

"Ginny," Jack said, before turning to leave. Ginny looked up. Jack sighed. "One day, I will."

Ginny smiled sadly. "If we make it to that day,"

Jack didn't reply. He turned and left Ginny alone, his stomach churning with guilt and sorrow.

….

"You escaped the brig even quicker than I'd expected," Jack praised, sitting on a beam. Will whirled around, wielding a dull dagger. Jack got up, ignoring the threat of Will's dagger. "William, have you noticed something? Or rather, have you noticed something that is not there to be noticed?" Jack said, casually walking down the beam to get to Will's level.

Will looked around, as if this might have been a trick question. Then he said, "You haven't raised the alarm."

"Odd, isn't it? Not as odd as this," Jack motioned to the dead EITC man strapped to a barrel.

"I told myself, think like Jack." said Will, a sardonic edge to his voice.

"And this is what you came up with? Lead Beckett to Shipwreck Cove so as to gain his trust, and accomplish your own ends? It's like you don't know me at all, mate!" Jack said in mock offense. "And how does your dearly beloved feel about this plan?" Will looked away guiltily. "Ah, you've not seen fit to trust her with it." Jack realized.

"I'm losing her, Jack," said Will, looking defeated. "One step towards my father is a step away from Elizabeth."

"Mate, if you choose to lock your heart away, you'll lose her forever," Jack pointed out. He had reached his reason for approaching Will. "Now, let me add a machete to your intellectual thicket: Avoid the choice all together," Jack said. Will didn't seem to be following. "Let someone else dispatch Jones." Jack finished.

"Who?" said Will. His eyes widened when Jack grinned at him. "_You_?" Will looked disbelieving.

Jack took on a note of seriousness, which he didn't normally do, as seriousness was not his favorite way to be. "Death has a curious way of reshuffling one's priorities," Jack elucidated. Will huffed in exasperation and rolled his eyes. "Look, I slip aboard the _Dutchman_, find the heart, stab the beating thing, your father's free of his debt, and you're free to be with your charming mistress."

"And you would be willing to cut out your heart and bind yourself to the _Dutchman_ forever?" snapped Will.

"No, mate," Jack said, a smile toying at his lips. "I'm _free_ forever. Free to sail beyond the edges of the map, free from death itself."

"You have to do the job though, Jack," said Will. "Or you'll end up just like Jones." Will stroked his goatee, miming Jones's tentacley beard.

Jack grimaced. _Forgot about that part… Why does Will care if I do the job or not? Or end up like Jones, for that matter? _"I haven't got a face for tentacles," Jack admitted.

Will stared at Jack for several seconds. "You're running, Jack," he said. Jack frowned, confused. "You're running from the past. You're running from Ginny."

Jack gave Will a stern look. "No, I'm trying to even the odds, mate," Jack said. He wasn't sure if it was a lie or not. Will had a reason not to stab the heart. Jack had every reason to. It made sense. But Will had a point, too. Jack was running from the past. He had gone so long without that having it was too difficult to deal with. Jack handed Will his compass.

"What's this for?" Will demanded, scrutinizing it.

"Think like me, it'll come to you." Jack said simply. He breathed on Will's face. Will backed away, half disgusted, half surprised. He fell over the side of the ship as Jack gave him a push. Jack pushed the barrel into the water, giving Will something to float on. "My regards to Davy Jones!" Jack called, waving goodbye. _Bloody hell, I need some rum._

….

They arrived at Shipwreck Cove later that day. Jack stared at his former home with apprehension. The last time he'd been there… He'd run away from it to find Ginny. And then he'd been too late. Jack looked at Gibbs. "You know, we are a rather unimaginative lot when it comes to naming things. I once sailed with a geezer who lost both of his arms and part of his eye." Jack said.

"What did you call him?" Gibbs prompted.

Jack noticed Ginny and felt his stomach churn with guilt. "Larry." he managed to choke out.

Jack walked away, watching the crew. His eyes fell upon Ginny and Tia Dalma. The two were in a heated discussion. Jack lifted his chin thoughtfully. He narrowed his eyes. He watched the two women argue for a few more minutes. Ginny looked distressed, as if the weight of the world were pressing on her shoulders. She traced the edges of her pendant with her fingers, looking at the deck. Barbossa caught Tia Dalma's attention. The two argued for a few minuted. Tia tried to storm away, but Barbossa pulled her back. Pintel and Ragetti led Tia away, down below deck. Jack presumed to the brig. _What the hell was that all about? _

Jack glanced around, pulled from his thoughts as darkness fell over them. They eased through a dark cavern, their torchlights casting eerie shadows on the walls. He walked over to where everyone was crowding. "There's not been a gatherin' like this in our lifetime," Barbossa was saying.

Jack looked up at the tower of ships with trepidation. "And I owe them all money," he admitted. _Boy, I'm glad Grandmama's dead… _

….

Ginny was barely listening to the court argue and debate. She was too busy thinking about what Tia Dalma had told her. Was it true? Could the pendant be a source of unimaginable power that only a Stormmare could wield?

"Sao Feng is dead," declared a new voice, ripping Ginny from her thoughts. "He fell to the _Flying_ _Dutchman_."

Elizabeth plunged her sword into the Captain's Globe. "And made you captain?" Jack demanded. "They'll just give the bloody title to anyone now!"

"Listen! Listen to me!" yelled Elizabeth, ignoring Jack and the other protesters. "Our location has been betrayed, Jones is under the command of Beckett; they're on their way here."

"Who is this betrayer?" demanded Jocard.

"Not likely anyone among us!" growled Barbossa.

"Where's Will?" asked Elizabeth quietly.

"Not among us," said Jack out of the corner of his mouth.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "It matters not how they found us. The question is what we do when they've found us." said Barbossa.

"We fight!" declared Elizabeth.

Ginny nodded her approval at Elizabeth. _Yes, let's fight… And I will kill Beckett._ But everyone laughed at Elizabeth, including Jack.

"Shipwreck Cove is a fortress! A well supplied fortress! There is no need to fight if they cannot get to us!" cried Mistress Ching.

"There be a third course," drawled Barbossa. "In another age, at this very spot, the first Brethren Court captured the sea goddess and bound her in her bones… That was a mistake. Oh, we claimed the seas for ourselves, aye, but opened the door to Beckett and his ilk! Better were the days when mastery of the seas came not from bargains with eldritch sea creatures, but from the sweat of a man's brow and the strength of his back alone… Gentlemen… Ladies… We must free Calypso."

There was a stunned silence. Then, everyone burst into various forms of anger or agreement, but all were violent. "This is madness." Ginny said, rolling her eyes.

"This is politics," Jack corrected.

Ginny felt ill and pushed her way out of the room. She walked along one hallway, not really sure where she was going. She wasn't even paying attention. She walked right into a solid person. She backtracked, a little stunned and befuddled. She looked up and gasped.

The person she'd bumped into looked just as shocked as she felt. "Ginny?" he whispered.

"M-Mr. Teague?" Ginny stuttered. "Er, Captain?" she corrected herself.

They stared at each other for a few seconds. Ginny could hear Jack's voice carrying down the hall, talking about cuttlefish. But Ginny didn't care. She stared at Teague, unsure of what to do. Teague looked as if he were contemplating the same thoughts as Ginny. His face broke out into a grin and he embraced Ginny. Tears filled Ginny's eyes and she returned the hug, her salty tears spilling onto Edward Teague's shirt. "I thought I'd never see yeh again, dear." whispered Teague.

Ginny pulled out of the hug. She gave Teague a watery smile. "Same here," she said.

Teague searched Ginny's face. "I am so sorry, Ginny. I know about yer mother… What happened… I tried to help Jackie find ye, but then… I lost Jasmyne and Jackie lost his memory…I can't tell yeh how sorry I am." he said in a choked voice after several seconds.

Ginny, despite herself, laughed. "Captain Teague, none of it is your fault," she said. She wiped her eyes. "I managed on my own. You taught me well."

Teague swelled with pride. Ginny smiled, appreciating that Teague still considered her part of the family. "So yer mixed up in all this?"

"I suppose," Ginny replied.

"And… Jackie?" Teague prompted, looking concerned.

"Er, it's a long story." Ginny admitted.

"I call on Cap'n Teague, Keeper of the Code!" called Barbossa's voice.

Teague sighed. "I ought to deal with this. Yeh'll have to explain after, though."

Ginny nodded, watching Jack's father disappear behind a doorway. She leaned up against a wall and took off her pendant. She looked at the glittering blue sapphire, which was so dark it looked black. She ran her thumb over the gem. She decided to walk outside, to the docks. She reached the end of one pier after a few minutes of walking. Placing the necklace in one hand, Ginny slid the other hand into the dark waters of the ocean. She closed her eyes, thinking of Tia Dalma's words. She thought of her mother, her grandmother… She thought of Elizabeth and Will, she thought of her siblings… She thought of Teague, and how he still cared… She thought of Jack, who didn't want to forgive her… And she needed to protect them all… She opened her eyes and stared at the pendant. It was glowing.


	8. Chapter 8

**_Chapter Eight_**

**moonsword17: No problem! Yeah I bet it's way easier to read… I don't know why that happened… Probably because I have a fricking dinosaur for a computer. And thank you for the review! **

Jack watched as the other pirates dispersed, cheering. Jack gazed at his father, the smile from earlier still frozen on his face. Teague stopped playing his guitar and set it down, looking disappointed. "What? You've done it all, seen it all… You survived. That's the trick, innit? Survival," Jack said, his smile growing humorless.

"It's not just about living forever, Jackie. The trick is, living with yerself forever." Teague wagged a finger at Jack. For one moment, Teague looked oddly like a parent. Jack grimaced.

"How's Mum?" Jack asked. Teague wordlessly held up a shrunken head. Jack stared at it, trying to not let the horror show on his face. He knew his mother had been turned into a shrunken head, but he hadn't seen it in years. "She looks…" Jack hesitated, searching for the right word. He didn't want to offend dear old dad by saying she looked horrifyingly revolting. "Great."

The amusement in Teague's eyes sparkled briefly. _I'm beginning to think he keeps Mum around just to gross me out… Certainly sounds like something he'd do… _"Makin' friends, Jackie?" Teague questioned. The amusement had faded from his dark eyes. For once, Teague looked awkward and uncomfortable.

"What?" Jack queried flatly, looking at Teague with a blank face.

Teague shrugged. "I, er, met a woman who said she knew ye. Ginny somethin'."

Jack looked at his dad sharply. "You can stop with the charade, now, Dad."

Teague frowned. "What charade?"

Jack sighed. "I know who Ginny is. I… I remember."

Teague didn't even bother hiding his shock. "How?" he whispered hoarsely.

Jack shrugged, beaming grimly. "The Locker works wonders on the mind, eh?"

Teague shook his head. "Lord… So yeh remember everything?"

"Everything," Jack replied.

Teague nodded, searching Jack's face. "And?" he prompted.

Jack wanted to tell his father everything. But he couldn't. His father had kept it from him, too. "And what?" Jack asked, unable to hide his irritation.

"Yer angry," realized Teague, nodding slowly. "I understand, Jackie. Yeh have a lot of questions."

Jack turned his back on Teague, snorting in frustration. "Yeah, I have a lot of questions," he muttered. "And yeah, I'm angry," Jack paced a little. He turned back to his father. "You didn't tell me. You knew, and you didn't say anything. And Ginny…" Jack stopped, breathing heavily. He'd never been so angry in his life. "She knew too! And she didn't utter one damn word! Not a single one! I'm not some child you can protect! Why didn't either of you say anything?" Jack yelled.

Teague looked at Jack, gentleness in his eyes. "Jackie, we did it for the best. I never saw you until after yeh turned against Beckett, and ye didn't remember. I didn't want to confuse yeh more, and yeh already hated me as a father anyway… And I imagine Ginny didn't know what to do. Do yeh know how much pain Beckett has caused her? She probably was tryin' not to you any pain and confusion, as well as herself. Yeh gotta think, Jackie. Think about what we had to go through, too. Yeh didn't know where yeh came from. I didn't want to hurt yeh more. Yeh needed to figure it out on yer own, Jackie. And Ginny already had to deal with losin' her entire family as well as you all over again, I imagine. We were in pain too, Jackie."

Jack stared at Teague for a long time. He had never considered that Teague and Ginny had been in pain, too. "It's true," said a new voice. Jack turned to see Ginny. She looked pale and shaken, as if she had just seen a ghost. Jack stared at her. "I wanted to tell you, Jack. I nearly did on Rumrunner's Isle. But you were so angry… You'd just lost the _Pearl_ again… I didn't want to cause you anymore pain by telling you. And I didn't want to cause myself anymore pain, either. I'd gone so long without you, thinking you didn't care… And then you were there, caring that you didn't remember. I didn't know what to do. I did what I thought was best. I was waiting for the right moment. I was going to tell you, Jack. But with everything that was going on…" She stopped, taking a shaky breath.

"But you didn't tell me, not even when I was about to face the gallows. That night you visited me in my cell. You were going to let me die without knowing." Jack flashed back. He was trying to be angry, but his anger was fading.

"I was going to, that's why I showed up. But… You were already afraid and in pain. You were already facing death… I didn't want to do that to you." Ginny said.

Jack looked from his father to Ginny. "But…" He stopped. He stared at them for a moment longer. "But you did something worse."

Ginny sighed. "Jack, listen to me: You are not the only one who was hurting. I was too. And so was your father. You were my best friend as a child, Jack. I was watching you go through so much pain and confusion. I didn't want to add to that. I was going to tell you, but I had to prepare myself, too. I went too long without you, and then all of a sudden you were back in my life, but with memory loss. I had to deal with that burden too. I had to watch my best friend look at me and not recognize me. I lost everything, Jack. And when I had accepted it, you came along and shoved it right back in my face, except this time, you didn't even know me. So I had to deal with that, too. Jack, you aren't the only one who is suffering, so stop acting like you are!" Ginny shouted. She turned away but stopped. Jack looked up.

Elizabeth was standing in the doorway, staring at the three of them, wide-eyed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to… I-I'll just… I'll just wait in… I'm sorry…" she stammered. She fumbled around, looking utterly bewildered.

"It's fine, Elizabeth… We just finished," Ginny said, shooting warning glares at both Jack and Teague. Jack looked at Elizabeth curiously.

"What is it, Lizzie?" he asked.

Elizabeth frowned, tears in her eyes. "I thought you should know… James is dead."

Jack frowned and looked at Ginny, who looked as if someone had just punched her in the abdomen. Her blank look of shock showed how much of a blow this was. "James…" Ginny whispered. "Dead? How?"

Elizabeth walked over to Ginny, her brown eyes soft with sorrow. "H-he was killed by… One of Jones's men."

Jack frowned. He got the sense that Elizabeth wasn't telling the whole truth. But he said nothing. "Jones's men…" Ginny repeated. She seemed to see through Elizabeth's lie as well. She shrugged. "Thank you for telling me."

Elizabeth nodded and left the room. Ginny sank into a chair. Jack watched her. "I thought you didn't love him." he said.

Ginny looked at him. "I didn't know him well enough. But… I didn't want him dead, either."

Jack stared at her, reading her disposition. "It's not your fault, love." he said.

Ginny looked at him. Her eyes appeared so wounded, so guilt-ridden, that Jack forgot his anger with her. "You don't understand, Jack." she whispered.

"Then help me to," Jack barked. "Don't keep secrets anymore."

"Jackie," said Teague warningly. Jack shot a glare at his father, but turned back to Ginny, who was fingering her pendant.

"I can't." she whispered. She got up and left the room without another word.

Jack looked at his father in bewilderment. "What the hell was that all about?" Teague merely shrugged, looking just as confused and shocked as Jack felt.


	9. Chapter 9

**_Chapter Nine _**

Ginny breathed heavily, watching the armada of Beckett's ship appear through the mist. The others had grown quiet with disbelief. She whipped around to look at Jack in shock. He glanced at her, grinning nervously. He looked at the others turning to glare at him. "Parlay?" he questioned.

"I'm coming," Ginny announced, looking at Elizabeth, Barbossa and Jack. They stared at her.

"Yer not a Pirate Lord." stated Barbossa.

"But I do have a connection with Beckett, and that could be useful." replied Ginny.

Jack met Ginny's gaze. He knew how much she needed to see Beckett face-to-face. "She has a point." he said, looking at Elizabeth and Barbossa.

"She comes." said Elizabeth firmly. Barbossa rolled his yellowing eyes but didn't argue.

They rowed out to a long strip of sand. They got out of the dinghy and began walking toward three figures on the other end of the island. Ginny clenched her fists and lifted her chin defiantly when she laid eyes upon Lord Cutler Beckett. She narrowed her eyes when she saw Will. They stopped only a few feet in front the other people. Will, Beckett and Davy Jones stared at Jack, Ginny, Elizabeth and Barbossa calmly. Ginny ground her teeth together. "You be the cur that led these wolves to our door," growled Barbossa, eyeing Will with contempt.

Beckett glanced at Will. "Don't blame Turner," he said, looking back at Barbossa. "He was merely the tool of your betrayal. If you wish to see its grand architect, look to your left."

Barbossa, Elizabeth and Ginny all looked at Jack, who looked to his left. Seeing nothing, he looked down at himself. He turned to the others, his hands raised in surrender. "My hands are clean in this," he said. He examined his dirty fingernails. "Figuratively."

"My actions were my own and to my own purpose," said Will. He glanced at Beckett. "Jack had nothing to do with it."

"Well spoke!" Jack congratulated Will. "Listen to the tool." he added to Ginny and Elizabeth.

"Will, I've been aboard the _Dutchman_, I understand the burden you bear, but I fear that cause is lost." said Elizabeth quietly.

"No cause is lost," retorted Will, shifting his gaze to Jack. Ginny didn't miss the understanding pass between them. "If there is but one fool left to fight for it." Ginny felt her stomach roil sickeningly. Jack was going to stab the heart.

"If Turner wasn't acting on your behalf, how did he come to give me this?" said Beckett, lifting up Jack's compass. Ginny stared at Jack, shocked. Jack grimaced. "You made a deal with me Jack, to deliver the pirates," Beckett tossed the compass to Jack, who caught it. "Don't be bashful, step up, claim your reward."

"And what reward be that?" demanded Barbossa, looking at Jack expectantly.

"Her." whispered Beckett, eyeing Ginny. Ginny glanced at Jack, confused.

"If that was my plan," said Jack. He looked at Ginny and waved his hands weirdly. "And I'm not admitting to anything," he said to her. He turned back to Beckett. "There is not the teensiest chance of it coming off anymore," he said. Ginny felt a flash of pain spread throughout her body. Jack leaned in close to her. "Is there?" he murmured in her ear. Ginny looked at him, stunned. She didn't say anything.

"There never was." said Beckett. Ginny glared at him. _How dare you answer for me, you bastard!_

"Your debt to me is still to be satisfied, one hundred years in servitude aboard the _Dutchman_ as a start!" snarled Jones.

"That debt was paid, mate!" Jack exclaimed. He waved at Ginny. "With some… Help."

Jones raised an eyebrow. "You escaped!" he snapped. He peered at Ginny curiously. Ginny gave him a seething glare.

"Technically, I-," Jack began.

"I propose an exchange," said Elizabeth. Everyone stopped to look at her. Ginny raised her eyebrows at her sister, but Elizabeth avoided Ginny's gaze. "Will leaves with us… And you can take Jack." she finished with a smirk.

"Done." said Will quickly.

"Undone!" Jack protested.

"Done!" snarled Jones.

"I require one other person in exchange for your dearly beloved," said Beckett. He looked at Ginny. "Miss Stormmare."

Ginny stared at him. "Done," said Elizabeth, guilt lacing her tone.

"Undone!" Jack said fiercely. Ginny looked at him, but he was glaring at Beckett furiously.

"Jack is one of the Pirate Lords! You have no right!" snarled Barbossa, grabbing Elizabeth.

"King." Elizabeth justified.

"Done!" cried Beckett.

"As you command, your nibs!" Jack said acidly to Elizabeth, bowing mockingly to her.

"Blackguard!" yowled Barbossa, unsheathing his sword. He cut Jack's Piece of Eight from his bandana. "If ye have somethin' to say, I might be sayin' somethin' as well."

Jack frowned. "First to the finish, then?" Jack was forced to stand beside Davy Jones. Ginny glared at Beckett and stood beside Jack.

"Advise your Brethren: You can fight and all of you will die, or you cannot fight, in which case only most of you will die." said Beckett.

Ginny glared at Elizabeth and Will. They avoided her fiery eyes. "You murdered my father." accused Elizabeth, staring at Beckett.

"He chose his own fate." replied Beckett.

"And you have chosen yours. We will fight. And you will die." With that, Elizabeth whirled around and marched away, Barbossa and Will in tow.

"So be it." whispered Beckett. He turned to Jones, Ginny and Jack. "Take the girl with you, Jones. I'll deal with her after this is over." He stalked away, into the longboat. Ginny and Jack were forced to follow him. They arrived at the _Dutchman_. Jack was thrown into a cell, but Jones held onto Ginny.

"I want a word with ye, Stormmare." he hissed. He led her away, to his cabin. Ginny stood motionless as Jones circled her. "Sparra said ye helped settle his debt… How?"

Ginny stiffened. Why did Jones even care? She glared at him. "Why does it matter?"

Jones sneered. "Because in all my years as captain of the _Flying_ _Dutchman_, never have I seen a someone escape the Locker… Nor have I seen Sparra accept death and failure so easily. And he said he had help. I want to know… How did ye do it?"

Ginny met Jones's gaze calmly. "I kissed him and chained him to the mast of his own ship, leaving him for the Kraken."

Jones looked taken aback. He chuckled. "Pretty heartless of ye to use the Judas Kiss."

Ginny raised her eyebrows. "You're one to talk about being heartless."

It had been the wrong thing to say. Jones snarled and grabbed her by the throat, squeezing tightly. He threw her onto the floor and kicked her. He bent down. "Do not test me-uh!" he growled.

Ginny coughed and got to her feet. "I should tell you the same."

Jones rolled his eyes. "And yer betrayal failed. His friends rescued him."

Ginny laughed. "Actually, I helped rescue him from the Locker. He didn't deserve that."

Jones smacked her with his claw-like hand. Ginny stumbled back. "Yer meddlin' with things yeh don't understand."

Ginny laughed, blood dribbling from her mouth. "So are you, Jones." Ginny touched her necklace. Jones stared at it and his eyes widened fearfully.

"How did yeh get that?" he queried.

"It doesn't matter how I got it, Jones. It matters how I will use it." Ginny murmured.

Jones stared at her. He called for one of his crewmen. "Take Miss Stormmare to the brig." he ordered, still staring at Ginny with fear. Ginny was led back to the brig, where she was locked into a cell with Jack, who was talking to himself.


	10. Chapter 10

**_Chapter Ten_**

Jack laid eyes on Ginny and stopped muttering to himself. "Ginny? What happened?" he demanded, looking at her in shock and horror. _What did Jones do to you? Why did he do this to you? _

"I offended Jones." Ginny said simply, wiping the blood from her mouth onto her sleeve.

"Gin…" Jack trailed off.

Ginny raised her eyebrows at Jack. "I thought you hated me?"

Jack opened his mouth to reply, but no words came out. He tried again. "I don't, love."

"Then what? You can't forgive me, you're angry with me… I don't understand, Jack. I don't know what else to do." Ginny said. She sounded tired. Tired of fighting.

Jack stared at her. "I don't know what to tell you, love," he said quietly. _I forgive you. I do… I just can't say it… But why not? _"Elizabeth's stunt was a bit of a shock." he commented, gesturing to their predicament.

Ginny pressed her lips together in a grim yet understanding smile. "People do crazy things when they're protecting the people they care about." she muttered. She lifted her gaze to meet his. _She's talking about me… Leaving me to the Kraken, not telling me about our past… _

He swallowed. "Gin, I don't want to do this anymore."

"Do what?" Ginny asked, sounding exasperated.

"This," Jack said. "Whatever we're doing… Fight, I guess. I don't want to be angry with you. I don't want to not forgive you. You're still my best friend. You always have been. Even without my knowing it, I've always trusted you."

Ginny narrowed her eyes at him. "What are you saying, Jack?"

Jack took a deep breath. "I'm saying that I forgive you, and I want my best friend back."

Ginny stared at him. "Why the change of heart?"

Jack sighed. "I understand now, why you did it. And… If we don't make it out of this… Well, I don't want us to part ways without saying that."

Ginny's glare softened into a gaze. "Jack… I…" She stopped. She threw her arms around Jack.

At first, Jack was too taken aback to do anything. Then slowly, his arms snaked around her into a tight embrace. "Gin, I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, Jackie." replied Ginny, her voice muffled. Jack closed his eyes and smiled. It seemed that everything was all right again.

…..

Ginny and Jack retrieved their effects, walking out onto the main deck. It was pouring down rain, drenching the deck and making it slippery. Ginny and Jack snuck around, looking for a safe passage…

"Lookie here boys! A lost bird! A lost bird that never learned to fly-uh!" sneered Jones.

Ginny backed away from them beside Jack. "To my greatest regret," said Jack. "But, never too late to learn, eh?" He grabbed Ginny by the waist. Ginny, understanding, held onto Jack as tightly as she could. Jack banged the chest against a peg that released the rope Jack was gripping. Jack and Ginny were flung into the air, both yelling. Their feet pounded against a wooden beam, the top of the mainsail. Jack shoved the rope into Ginny's hands. "Go, I'll handle this."

"What? No!" Ginny cried.

Jack frowned at her. "C'mon, Gin, don't argue with me. Go!" he shouted. He pushed her off the sail. Ginny felt her stomach float up into her throat as she fell, her last view of Jack was him unsheathing his sword and turning to face Jones, a determined expression painting his features. Ginny caught the rope, sliding down it at an alarming rate. Her hands burned, but she held on tighter. Her feet hit the deck of a ship. Looking around, she realized it was the _Pearl_. She unsheathed her sword and joined the battle.

After a long time of crossing blades, Ginny heard someone calling her and Barbossa's names. Ginny and Barbossa glanced at each other. From the bridge, they looked down at the main deck, where Will and Elizabeth were fighting. "Marry us!" Elizabeth cried.

"Ginny, you can protect Barbossa!" agreed Will.

Ginny and Barbossa gave each other a bewildered look. They turned back to the engaged couple. "We're a little busy at the moment!" they yelled together.

"Barbossa, Ginny, NOW!" bellowed Will.

Ginny rolled her eyes as Barbossa agreed. He began a ceremony. Ginny fought off the guys attempting to attack Barbossa. One got through to him, but Barbossa kicked the man in the face, knocking him backward. Ginny took care of him. "As captain, I now pronounce you-!" Barbossa stopped, seeing that Ginny was outnumbered, ten to one. He grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and hauled her up beside him. They continued battling. "You may now kiss-!" Barbossa tried again. Ginny shouted for him to duck. She whipped out her pistol and shot a fishface. Barbossa straightened. "Just kiss!" he bellowed. Ginny jumped off the pedestal. She landed on a goon attempting to hack Cotton in two. She raised her blade and swung it at another man. He blocked her fierce blow. She used his strength against him by twisting her blade around his, knocking his blade downward. She shoved her body against his, knocking him backward. Ginny plunged her blade into his stomach while he was down. She withdrew her blade, standing tall. The ship lurched suddenly, and Ginny was thrown off her feet. She collapsed down the stairs and fell on top of a goon. Ginny looked up at him. Her sword skittered several feet away. She looked at it, then back at the goon. She grinned nervously. The goon yowled and brought his sword down to hack her in two. She ducked and kicked him in the stomach. She kicked his hand. She jumped up onto the rail of the ship and then leapt onto the goon, a dagger in hand. She stabbed him and then got up. She grabbed her sword. She looked up at the _Dutchman_ to see Jack dangling from the chest, Jones holding onto the other end. Jones flung Jack into the air, who caught a rope. Ginny knew she had a very small matter of time to get back to Jack. She found Gibbs.

"Gibbs! Don't let Elizabeth get over to the _Dutchman_!" she yelled over the roar of the storm. Gibbs looked confused but nodded. Ginny grabbed a rope and readied herself to swing over.

_Nobody else needs to get hurt._


	11. Chapter 11

**_Chapter Eleven _**

**POTC misty potter temple: I'm glad you love it! You have no idea how much that means to me! Here ya go, sorry if it's a bit confusing, it switches POVs a lot. **

Jack grabbed a spare plank of wood, blocking Jones's vicious attacks. It wasn't enough. Jones was able to overpower Jack, knocking him unconscious.

…

Ginny landed on Jones's ship. She sprinted over to where she saw Jones raising his sword. She unsheathed her own. As Jones brought his sword down to kill an unconscious Jack, Ginny thrust her sword out. Their blades formed an X over Jack's face. Ginny swung her blade around, bringing Jones's blade with hers. She backed away, pointing her sword at Jones's face. She stood between him and his chest. And he stood between her and Jack.

"All right, then! But yeh'll receive no mercy from me-uh!" growled Jones. Ginny didn't reply. She just began attacking Jones with all her might.

…..

Jack woke up, dazed, his head throbbing. He noticed a tentacle inching along the deck with the key, but movement above caught his attention. He looked to see Ginny battling Jones. And she was giving him a run for his money. Ginny ducked and jumped. She blocked and hacked. She even jumped on crewmembers and lunged at Jones. She was light on her feet and faster than Jones, which was saving her from many deadly blows. Jack got up and grabbed the key. He needed to find the chest before he was too late.

…..

Ginny deflected a particularly close jab from Jones. She twirled her blade around his and shoved, knocking him back. He attacked again, but Ginny stood her ground. His blade crashed against hers. She jostled him back again, using his weight against him. Jones brought his blade crashing down, aiming for her head. Ginny blocked. Jones kicked Ginny in the side. Ginny doubled over, and Jones managed to shove her down onto the deck. A blunt pain throbbed in the back of her head, and everything went black.

Ginny awoke. Finding herself alive, she looked around, befuddled. What could have possibly caused Jones to spare her life? And then she locked eyes with Will, who was sprawled on the deck near her. Jones looked from Will to Ginny. "Ah, love," he said. "Even in all forms, it is a dreadful bond-uh," Jones continued, sneering at them. "And yet… So easily severed," Jones took a few steps toward Will, who raised his chin defiantly. "Tell me, William Turn-uh, do ye fear death?"

"Do you?" demanded another voice. Jones wheeled around. Ginny looked up sharply to see Jack, holding Jones's heart in the palm of his hand. Hovering over the heart in Jack's other hand was a broken sword. "Heady tonic, holding death in the palm of one's hand." Jack said, grinning.

"Yer a cruel man, Jack Sparra!" growled Jones.

"Cruel is a matter of perspective," Jack replied, his eyes and voice steady.

"Is it?" said Jones testily. He turned to Will, and in one fluid movement, Davy Jones stabbed Will Turner.

Ginny gasped, staring at the look of pain on Will's face as Jones dug the blade deeper into Will's chest. Jones twisted the blade and then let go. He looked at Ginny and Jack's horrified faces and laughed. He walked away, still chuckling. Ginny moved to Will's side, numb with horror. She looked at the blood flowing around the blade, which was still sticking up out of his chest. Ginny put her hands on the wound, applying pressure to it. She had to stop the bleeding. It was the only way Will would survive.

"Ginny…" Will gasped. Ginny met his gaze. She saw her own fear reflected in his eyes. "Elizabeth…" Will coughed, blood spurting from his mouth.

Ginny frowned, despite the desperateness of the situation. "She's not here," she informed him.

Will smiled, his teeth stained with blood. "Take care of… Elizabeth…" he said.

Ginny shook her head, understanding. "No," she said. "No, Will, you're going to be all right!" Will's eyes began to slide shut. "No, Will!" Ginny cried. She grabbed his face in her hands, forgetting about stopping the bleeding. "Look at me! Will!" Ginny cried. Will's eyes fluttered open. "Keep your eyes on me, Will!" Ginny said, her voice reaching a higher octave than normal. This was her fault. It was all her fault.

….

Jack stared at Will and Ginny, the rain nearly blinding him, frozen in shock, his hand still clutching the beating heart of Davy Jones. Will couldn't die. Not Will… This couldn't be happening… _What do I do?! Will, no, I never wanted him dead! He… He's my friend… When we're not trying to kill each other… WHAT DO I DO?!_ His thoughts chased each other frantically. He couldn't get ahold of his own mind, it was maddening… He felt the heart thump in his hand. He glanced at it. And then he was calm. _Oh. I know what to do._

He knelt down beside Will and grabbed the young man's hand, wrapping his fingers around Jack's broken sword. Jack laid the heart onto the deck and guided Will's limp hand to stab the heart. Jack glanced up to see Jones across the ship, looking at them. His eyes were wide with shock. He stumbled back and fell over the ship's side. Jack looked at Will. Ginny was whispering to him, but Jack knew Will was centimeters from death. Will opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. Instead, his final breath staggered from his lips, leaving his body. Will went completely limp. Jack stood up, his face drawn into a shocked and devastated frown. Will was dead. _I… I failed… It didn't work…_

"Part of the ship, part of the crew," growled a voice. Jack snapped out of his thoughts. He looked to see the crew of the _Dutchman_ gathering around, all chanting the same thing. Jack understood. He grabbed the lapels on the back of Ginny's vest and dragged her back. It took some effort, for Ginny was struggling against Jack hysterically.

"No! We can't leave him!" Ginny shrieked. Jack managed to wheel her around to face him. Ginny beat on Jack's chest. "_We can't leave him_!"

"Listen, listen to me!" he growled, holding Ginny still. Ginny was still staring at Will, utter grief plain on her face. "Ginny, we have to go. There's nothing we can do." Jack looked over at Will. A crew member was holding the now empty chest open. Jack grabbed Ginny's face in his hands and forced her to look at him. "Ginny, you have to trust me." Jack said, staring her right in the eyes. Ginny's look of distress faded as determination took over. She gave a single nod. Jack prepared their escape, grabbed a rifle, and returned to Ginny. He grabbed her and swung her into his arms. He gripped a rope tightly with one hand and the rifle in the other. "Hold on!" he yelled. Ginny grabbed him tightly and Jack pulled the trigger. They flew up into the air, away from the _Flying_ _Dutchman_ at last. Jack watched the ghostly ship submerge beneath the waves of the maelstrom. Ginny laid her head on Jack's chest. For a split second, Jack didn't respond. Then he laid his head on top of Ginny's, comforting her as best as he could. They sailed away and drifted lower and lower until the landed gently in the now calm ocean. Jack allowed Ginny to go up the ladder and climb aboard the _Pearl_ first. Jack clambered aboard, and with a sigh of chagrin, he looked at Elizabeth.

"Where's Will?" demanded Elizabeth, her eyes wide.

"Elizabeth… I'm so sorry." said Ginny. There was a very pregnant pause.

Elizabeth turned to Jack. "_You_! This is your fault!" she shrieked. She waltzed up to Jack and slapped him, hard.

Jack stumbled back, but he didn't fight Elizabeth, nor did he correct her. "Elizabeth!" cried Ginny, pulling Elizabeth away from Jack. "It's not his fault, it's mine!" Ginny said. Elizabeth didn't say anything. She dissolved into sobs, Ginny embracing her sister. Jack met Ginny's sorrowful gaze.

_Please God, let this work._


	12. Chapter 12

**_Chapter Twelve_**

Ginny tried comforting Elizabeth as best as she could while Jack, Barbossa and Gibbs argued. Ginny couldn't ignore the pain in her chest. The agony of losing Will stabbed at her with every breath she took. No more swordfights. No more talks. No more joking around… Will was gone. Her friend, her brother even, was gone. And it was her fault. Ginny had a sudden, violent urge to rip her necklace off and cast it into the sea. What good was power if she couldn't even use it to save her loved ones?

Ginny caught Jack's eye. He looked worried and anxious, like he was waiting for something. He looked at the vacant sea. Ginny followed his gaze. And then she felt it. There was a tingling in her skin, a tug in her gut. She felt the ocean trembling. She let go of Elizabeth and looked at the sea. Still, nothing. And then the surface broke like shattered glass, and the _Flying_ _Dutchman_ emerged from the depths with a new captain. Ginny looked at Jack, unable to hold back her grin. He looked at her, grinning as well. They glanced at Elizabeth, who was looking curious. And then she heard Will's voice, ordering his crew, and her face broke into a grin, too. Jack yelled, "Full cover!"

"Aye, full cover!" agreed Barbossa. The two ships sailed parallel to each other, heading straight for the _Endeavor_. They each took a side. Ginny stood by Jack, looking at Beckett's ship.

"Cap'n? Orders?" asked Gibbs.

Jack looked at Ginny, and Ginny looked at Jack. She gave a slight nod, the tiniest jerk of her head. "Fire." Jack growled.

"Fire!" Gibbs cried.

"Fire!" bellowed Barbossa.

"Fire all!" screamed Elizabeth.

There was a loud boom of cannons, like thunder in a storm. The _Endeavor_ stood no chance. Fire burned the air while screams rent the atmosphere. The sickening crunch of bones and wood alike could be heard, and after a few short minutes, the _Endeavor_ exploded in a flurry of splinters. Ginny felt someone's hand slide into hers. She looked to see Jack. He gave her a concerned look. Ginny nodded with approval and squeezed his hand, silently thanking him. She raised her chin strongly. Beckett was dead. He had gotten what he deserved… For hurting Jack, for killing Elizabeth's father, and for murdering Ginny's mother. She smiled at Jack. His eyes were sparkling with mischievousness and pride. He had a small smirk teasing at his lips, and he gave her a small nod of approval. He understood. Ginny let go of his hand and walked away, toward Elizabeth.

"Hey," Ginny murmured.

"Oh, hey," said Elizabeth, looking around. There was a glaze of distance in her eyes, as if she were distracted.

"I'm sorry," Ginny said.

"As am I," said Jack, suddenly beside Ginny.

Ginny glanced at him. She turned back to Elizabeth, who was looking at them. "Actually, I should be the one apologizing," said Elizabeth. "I… I blamed you, Jack… I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry," She hung her head.

"Water under the bridge, dearie." Jack replied, sounding uncomfortable.

"And thank you," Elizabeth added. "For saving him."

Ginny and Jack glanced at each other. Ginny wouldn't call binding Will to the _Dutchman_ saving, but she kept her mouth shut. She turned back to Elizabeth. "No problem, darling," said Jack, sounding more and more uncomfortable. "I'm gonna go… Talk to Gibbs." Jack said. He scampered away. Ginny rolled her eyes and turned back to the solemn Elizabeth.

"Ten years… Ginny, I don't know if I can do this." Elizabeth whispered.

Ginny suppressed a grimace. "It's better than nothing, Lizzie." she said lamely.

"I know… It's just…" Elizabeth trailed off. She looked so confused and lost, Ginny pulled her friend, her sister, into a hug.

"It'll be okay, Elizabeth," she murmured.

"I'm going to be alone for ten years… It doesn't seem fair." Elizabeth whispered.

Ginny pulled back. "Who says you're going to be alone?"

Elizabeth looked like she was struggling for words. "I… I…" she tried.

"I'm not going to abandon you, Lizzie. You'll have me. And your crew." Ginny said.

Elizabeth snorted. "My crew hates me."

"They'll get over it," Ginny said, shrugging. "Enjoy today with Will."

"They're turnin' away!" shouted Marty from above. There was an explosion of cheers and a flurry of thrown hats all over the deck.

Ginny and Elizabeth grinned, looking around. Ginny looked over at Jack, grinning, but he was looking at his celebrating crew. She looked away quickly. "Thank you, Ginny." murmured Elizabeth. Ginny gave her friend a reassuring smile and turned away. She approached Jack, who had looked away from her quickly, much like she had.

"We won," Ginny said.

Jack looked at her. "We did," he agreed. "But somehow I get the feeling that you're not too happy about it."

Ginny met his gaze. She didn't want to tell him. At least, not the whole truth. "I just thought I'd be the one to deliver the final blow to kill him, that's all."

Jack looked mildly surprised by her answer. "I can understand that."

Ginny shrugged, wanting to change the subject. "Where's Gibbs?" she asked briskly.

"Retrieving my hat," Jack replied. Ginny gave him a look. "I let him throw it." Jack added, as if that explained everything.

Ginny smirked, shaking her head. She didn't say anything. There wasn't much to say. Too soon, Elizabeth left for her one day with Will. The crew of the _Pearl_ lit the lanterns, someone played a guitar, and the rum bottles were opened. The merriment ensued for a few hours. Ginny laughed with the crew while they told jokes and danced. She even joined in. She skipped around with Ragetti, twirled with Pintel, even waltzed with Gibbs. Barbossa drained more and more rum bottles until he finally planted a kiss on Ginny's cheek. Ginny, being a good sport, laughed. But after that, she edged away from the older man. She found herself sitting beside Jack.

"Enjoying yourself?" Jack asked. His tone was a little tense.

Ginny smiled at him. "I am, actually," she said. The guitarist began a slower song.

"Care to dance?" Jack asked, standing. He held out a hand to her. Ginny shrugged and accepted. They began to sway to the music, slowly and gently, not really attempting any sort of complicated dance. "So, any plans now that the danger has passed?" Jack asked. He sounded as if he were fighting to remain casual.

Ginny thought for a moment. "Well, I think I'll go with Elizabeth."

Jack nodded slowly. "And where might that be?"

Ginny shrugged. "I dunno. Wherever she and Will decide to rendezvous after his ten years are up."

Jack looked as if he'd swallowed something very bitter. "You're leaving?"

Ginny felt the effects of the rum ebbing away. She met Jack's gaze. "I guess so."

Jack clenched his jaw; Ginny could see his tensed jawline. "No more adventures, then?"

"Jack…" Ginny trailed off. "Elizabeth needs me."

Jack nodded, but he looked tense. "For how long?"

"I expect ten years," Ginny replied.

"Gin… I've just got you back…." Jack murmured.

Ginny felt her chest tighten painfully. "Jack, it's not like this is goodbye forever. You can visit…"

Jack shook his head. "It won't be the same." They had stopped dancing. It was nearly sunset, and the time for Ginny to leave had arrived.

"I'm sorry, Jack." she muttered. She walked away, gathering her belongings. The crew, now considerably loopy from the merriment, lined up in a staggering link.

"Miss Stormmare," said Barbossa, dipping his head to her. Ginny half-smiled. This time, she didn't correct him.

"Goodbye, Ginny." said Pintel, looking sad.

Ragetti sniffled. "I'll miss ya."

Ginny smiled. "I'll miss you both, too." She moved down the line to Gibbs.

"Arg, Ginny… I've known yeh since ye were wha'? Fifteen?" said Gibbs.

Ginny nodded sadly. "Seems like a lifetime ago."

Gibbs sniffed. "Aye, and yeh were always getting' into trouble… You and Lizzie both, talkin' bout pirates and adventure… Never have I ever come across two meddlesome troublemakers like yerselves… But yeh were like my own two little girls."

Ginny smiled and embraced Gibbs. "Thank you, Mr. Gibbs."

Gibbs gave her a gentle squeeze and then let her go. "Take care of yerself, Ginny."

"And you, Mr. Gibbs." Ginny returned. She slowed to a stop when she came to Jack.

He had his hat back. He was leaning against the railing of the _Pearl_, pointedly looking at the deck as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. "Jack," Ginny called. He looked up sharply. "It would've never worked out between us."

Jack grinned, but there was a subtle flash of pain in his eyes. "Keep tellin' yerself that, darling," he replied. "You know, Elizabeth said the same thing to me earlier."

Ginny smirked. "Well we're just trying to preserve the legend."

Jack's smile lingered, and then faded to smirk, which ebbed into a frown. "So this is goodbye, eh? You're really going?"

Ginny smiled sadly. "I think it's better for your health if I don't stay," she joked.

Jack rolled his eyes. "Well, as long as there are no sea monsters for you to feed me to, I reckon I'm safe." he said, returning the joke.

"I wouldn't count on that." Ginny said, raising her eyebrows at him.

Jack scrutinized her for a moment. He shrugged. "I suppose you're right. I wouldn't want to cross blades with you, and I feel sorry for any poor fellow who has to."

Ginny smiled, surprised by the compliment. "Well, who says I would be crossing blades? I don't need a sword to win me a man."

"No, you don't," Jack agreed. His tone sounded heavy. "You've got everything going well enough for you already."

Ginny looked away from him. "I, er, thanks."

Jack shrugged. "No problem, love," he muttered. There was a long pause of awkward silence. "Like I said, you deserve to kiss better men than Barbossa. Whoever you get with is one lucky bastard."

Ginny looked at her shoes. She turned to Jack, who was back to staring at the deck. She threw her arms around him. "Thank you, Jack." she whispered.

Slowly Jack weaved his arms around her. "Keep a weather eye on your horizon, love."

Ginny pulled away. "Thank you." she said. Jack merely pursed his lips into a grimace-like smile and nodded. With that, Ginny turned away from Jack and left him, maybe for forever.


	13. Chapter 13

**_Chapter Thirteen _**

Ginny reached the uninhabited island after a considerable amount of rowing. Arms sore and panting slightly, Ginny clambered out of the dinghy and trekked along the shore, looking for Will and Elizabeth. She stopped in her tracks when she found them embracing. Will pulled back, muttering something. Then he noticed Ginny. He waved her over. Ginny walked toward him, pressing her lips together awkwardly.

"Take care of her, Ginny… Please." Will muttered to her. Ginny looked at Will.

"Of course," she replied. She hugged him.

"You've been a great friend, Ginny." Will said.

"You have too," Ginny retorted. She stepped back. She gave Will and Elizabeth one last moment, and then Will was gone. There was a flash of green light, and Will exited the living world. Ginny turned to Elizabeth, who was sobbing softly. Ginny took her sister's hand. "C'mon," Ginny coaxed. Elizabeth looked confused.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"Well, where did you two lovebirds decide to rendezvous?" Ginny countered.

"Here," Elizabeth replied.

Ginny looked around. She looked up at the high, rocky cliff. "I'm gonna see what's up there." she announced. She let go of Elizabeth's hand and approached the rocks. She found a somewhat clear path up to the top. She had to clamber and climb on top of the rocks. She reached the top of the plateau, scanning the area. It was nothing but rolling, green hills, a field of tall, green grass, and a small forest. Ginny returned to Elizabeth.

"Well?" Elizabeth asked.

"There's going to be a lot of building involved, but we'll make it work." Ginny replied.

"Building?" Elizabeth queried.

Ginny stared at her. "Well, you're not going to sleep under the stars for ten years," Ginny replied. "And we'll need to build a ramp of some sort up to the top. But at least we've got your crew to help us."

"My crew won't help… They hate me." Elizabeth muttered bitterly.

"Lizzie, they'll have to obey you. You're Pirate King." Ginny replied.

Elizabeth looked at her Singaporean getup. "I don't feel much like a king."

Ginny sighed. "Well, you're a woman, so I hope you don't."

"What if they mutiny?" asked Elizabeth as they climbed into a dinghy.

"They won't if I'm around," Ginny stated, taking one oar while Elizabeth took the other.

"I suppose so," said Elizabeth. "You were pretty skilled with a sword in the battle."

"Will taught me well." Ginny replied shortly.

"Those weren't the moves he taught us," stated Elizabeth.

Ginny was quiet as they rowed. "I learned a lot from my time on my own, Lizzie."

"Before you found me and my father?" Elizabeth inquired.

"Yes," Ginny muttered, looking at the sea pointedly.

"Who taught you? Where were you taught? What did you learn? How old were you?" rambled Elizabeth.

Ginny sighed. "Lizzie, some of that is need to know information."

"Oh." Elizabeth sounded disappointed.

Ginny felt guilt scratch her conscience. "It would be dangerous if I told you everything… But I was twelve when I first started there, and then I left in the middle of my fifteenth year, and then I found you. A man named Armand trained me… He was one of the wisest men I ever knew."

"Why is it dangerous?" asked Elizabeth after several heavy beats of silence.

"Because the Stygian Knights might still be after me, and it's best that the less you know, the better." Ginny replied shortly.

Elizabeth fell silent. "Was Beckett…?" she trailed off.

"A Stygian Knight? Yes." Ginny replied. They reached the _Empress_ and climbed aboard.

"Where to?" Elizabeth asked.

"Singapore." replied Ginny.

….

Jack turned away from the two prostitutes and Gibbs, who was talking to them about sea turtles. He turned to watch Barbossa sail away with his ship. He clambered into his dinghy and rowed out to sea. And then he unrolled the Navigational Charts. He moved the circles around, forming words, giving him clues. He took out his compass. He watched the needle spin round and round. It stopped, pointing in the direction Singapore. Jack frowned and shook it. "No!" he barked at it. The needle spun and then stopped. He looked behind himself and found a bottle of rum. He took a sip, clearing his mind of Ginny. The needle spun again, this time pointing straight ahead. He grinned. "Drink up me hearties, yo ho!"

**_End of Book Three_**

**Stay tuned for Book Four, ****_On Stranger Tides_**** with the addition of Ginny, of course! Don't forget to review, whether you liked it or not! Feedback of any sort is always welcome! **


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